Synonyms for Dour
Definition of dour
adjective
- stubbornly unyielding; "dogged persistence"; "dour determination"; "the most vocal and pertinacious of all the critics"; "a mind not gifted to discover truth but tenacious to hold it"- T.S.Eliot; "men tenacious of opinion"
- harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance; "a dour, self-sacrificing life"; "a forbidding scowl"; "a grim man loving duty more than humanity"; "undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw"- J.M.Barrie
- showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd"
17 synonyms found
Writing tips for "dour"
Choosing the right synonym depends on context, tone, and audience. Words like bulldog, dark, dogged can replace "dour" depending on the shade of meaning you need. In poetry and songwriting, swapping synonyms lets you match a rhyme scheme or meter without changing your meaning. In prose, varying your word choice avoids repetition and keeps readers engaged.
With 17 alternatives available, "dour" gives you flexibility across registers — from formal to casual, from literary to conversational. Try pairing these synonyms with our rhyme finder to discover words that both mean and sound like what you need.
"Dour" in song lyrics
See how dour is used in real songs:
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"Point blank at the tank, empty clip at the dour"
Frukwan — 2 to Da Head