sulk
B1Informal
Definition
Meaning
To be silent, withdrawn, and bad-tempered out of resentment or disappointment.
A period of such silent, resentful, and unsociable withdrawal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb implies a conscious, sustained, and sometimes childish moodiness. The noun often appears in phrases like 'in a sulk' or 'have a sulk'. It suggests passive, inward resentment rather than active anger.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both verb and noun forms are used and understood identically in both varieties. The word is slightly more common in British English and may be used more readily to describe children's behaviour.
Connotations
In both varieties, it often carries a mild negative judgement of being immature or petulant. It can describe adults, but the implication is often that the behaviour is childish.
Frequency
Common in everyday speech in both BrE and AmE, with marginally higher frequency in BrE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person] sulks.[Person] sulks about/over [thing].[Person] is sulking.to have/be in a sulk.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be in a sulk”
- “To have/get the sulks”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used in formal business contexts. Might appear informally: 'He's been sulking in his office since the project was reassigned.'
Academic
Not used in technical academic writing. May appear in literary analysis or psychological discussions of mood.
Everyday
Very common, especially when describing children, teenagers, or petty adult behaviour: 'Don't sulk just because you can't have your way.'
Technical
Not a technical term in any major field.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He went to his room to sulk after losing the match.
- She's been sulking all day because we didn't go to her favourite restaurant.
American English
- Don't sulk just because you have to do your chores.
- He sulked for a week after his car broke down.
adverb
British English
- He stared sulkily out the window. (Note: 'sulkily' is used, not 'sulk').
American English
- She ate her dinner sulkily, not saying a word. (Note: 'sulkily' is used, not 'sulk').
adjective
British English
- He had a sulk look on his face all afternoon. (Note: 'sulky' is far more common).
American English
- She gave him a sulk glare from across the room. (Note: 'sulky' is far more common).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The little boy started to sulk when his mum said no.
- She is in a sulk.
- My brother sulked for hours after we criticised his new haircut.
- He's having a sulk because his team lost.
- Instead of discussing the issue, she retreated to her room to sulk in silence.
- His protracted sulk was starting to affect the morale of the whole office.
- The politician's tendency to sulk petulantly when contradicted did little to inspire confidence among his colleagues.
- Her sulk was not mere childishness but a profound, if passive, expression of her disillusionment.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SULKy child who sits SILENTLY and ULTRA-sulkily in the corner, LICKing his wounds.
Conceptual Metaphor
BAD MOOD IS A CONTAINER (to be *in* a sulk); RESENTMENT IS WITHDRAWAL.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'дуться' (to puff cheeks), which is more visual. 'Sulk' is broader. Avoid literal translations like 'to be offended silently' – 'sulk' is the specific idiomatic verb.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a transitive verb (*He sulked her* – incorrect). It is intransitive or used with 'about/over'. Confusing the noun and verb forms grammatically.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'sulk' CORRECTLY as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Pout' specifically refers to pushing out the lips to show displeasure, which is a physical action often done by children. 'Sulk' is a broader state of silent, withdrawn resentment that can last for hours; it may involve pouting, but is more about the overall mood and behaviour.
No, 'sulk' is intransitive. You cannot 'sulk someone'. You *sulk* (by yourself) or you *sulk about/over* something.
Yes, it carries a generally negative and slightly judgmental connotation, implying the behaviour is immature, unproductive, or petty.
The adjective is 'sulky' (e.g., a sulky child, a sulky expression). Using 'sulk' as an adjective (e.g., 'a sulk look') is non-standard and rare.