Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary

gloom noun

¹ sadness

ADJ. black, deep She was in deep gloom because not even a postcard had arrived from Ricky. | general | economic the general economic gloom

VERB + GLOOM be filled with, be sunk in, sink into He was sunk in deep gloom at the prospect of being alone. I sank into gloom and depression. | fill sb with The news filled me with gloom. | cast Rumours of his ill health cast gloom over the celebrations. | combat, dispel, lift efforts to dispel their gloom

GLOOM + VERB deepen, descend Their gloom deepened as the election results came in. She felt gloom descend on her shoulders. | lift When the gloom finally lifts, the pessimists will be surprised at how much has been going right.

PREP. in ~ The nation was deep in gloom. | ~ about There is a general gloom about the farming industry.

PHRASES doom and gloom Despite falling demand, the year has not been all doom and gloom. | gloom and despondency the darkest feelings of gloom and despondency

² darkness

ADJ. deep | deepening, descending, gathering He peered into the gathering gloom. | cold, damp, dingy | evening The fog looked ominous in the evening gloom.

VERB + GLOOM penetrate, pierce The sound of distant police whistles pierced the gloom. | adjust to, become/get accustomed to Slowly, my eyes became accustomed to the gloom. | peer into/through | be shrouded in The sun went in and the house was again shrouded in gloom.

GLOOM + VERB deepen, descend We sat and watched as the gloom descended.

PREP. in the ~ We lost sight of them in the gloom. | into the ~ The tram rattled off into the gloom. | out of the ~ Two figures materialized out of the gloom. | through the ~ She could see the house faintly through the gloom.