One syllable: gloom.
gloom
/ɡlum/
gloom is pronounced gloom (/ɡlum/). It has one syllable (gloom), with the stress on "gloom". Gloom refers to a state of darkness or dimness, or a mood of depression or melancholy. It denotes an atmosphere that feels heavy or discouraged, often with subtle sadness. The term can describe weather, light, or emotional tone in literature or speech, conveying a sense of somberness without overt severity.
Gloom refers to a state of darkness or dimness, or a mood of depression or melancholy. It denotes an atmosphere that feels heavy or discouraged, often with subtle sadness. The term can describe weather, light, or emotional tone in literature or speech, conveying a sense of somberness without overt severity.
"The winter afternoon carried a quiet gloom, making the streets look deserted."
"Her voice sounded with gloom as she spoke about the lost opportunity."
"A thick fog hung over the valley, wrapping everything in a soft, gray gloom."
Gloom is pronounced with a single syllable: /ɡluːm/ in most dialects. The vowel is a long u (as in 'room'), so the mouth opens wide and the tongue stays high and back. Start with a hard g, release into a long, tense /luː/ vowel, then close with an /m/. Place lips rounded for the /uː/ and finish with a light nasal /m/ while keeping the tone steady. Listen to native samples for subtle timing cues.
Two common mistakes are shortening the vowel and misplacing lip rounding. Some speakers reduce /uː/ to a shorter /u/ or /ʊ/ sound, which makes gloom sound like 'glum.' To fix, keep the tongue high and back, lips rounded, and sustain the /uː/ for a full beat. Another error is adding an extra syllable or an off-glide before /m/; ensure it remains a clean, single-syllable word with a crisp final /m/.
In US English, /ɡlum/ with a slightly shorter /uː/ and a clearer /ɡ/ release. UK English tends toward a longer, more centralized /uː/ with less vowel height variation, sometimes sounding a touch tenser. Australian English generally preserves /ɡluːm/ but may have a slightly more centralized or centralized back vowel due to rhoticity variations; the final /m/ remains bilabial nasal. Overall, the rhoticity has minimal effect on this word, but vowel quality and duration can shift slightly between regions.
The challenge lies in the long /uː/ vowel and the clean, clipped /m/ ending in rapid speech. Learners may default to a shorter /u/ or add an extra vowel or semivowel glide. Focus on keeping the mouth rounded and the tongue high for the /uː/, and release into a crisp /m/. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'glue' (for the vowel) and 'gloom' can sharpen the timing between the vowel and the final nasal. A steady, even tempo helps avoid over-emphasizing the consonants.
Does 'gloom' ever reduce to a schwa in connected speech? Not in careful speech. In rapid, casual speech, some speakers might subtly compress the /uː/ toward a near-close, shorter realization, but it still remains noticeably longer than a typical /ʊ/ or /ə/ vowel. The distinguishing feature is the long back rounded vowel, which should not be reduced to a lighter vowel. Maintain the height and length for accurate, natural-sounding gloom.
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Gloom comes from the Old English glōm, related to glomian, meaning to cause sorrow or be gloomy. Its earliest senses referred to dark or dim light, or a dreary mood, gradually broadening to include states of sadness and depression. The Middle English form glow + -m, perhaps influenced by gloomlike words in Germanic languages, reinforced the sense of oppressive darkness. By the 16th century, gloom was commonly used to describe weather conditions and emotional states, and it retained its negative emotional valence. The word evolved with surrounding English lexicon, absorbing nuances of mood and atmosphere in poetry and prose. First known written usage appears in Old English texts; however, precise earliest citations are scattered across medieval manuscripts. Over time, gloom became a concise, high-frequency word in everyday speech, idioms (gloom and doom), and literary dialogue, maintaining its core association with dimness and melancholy while expanding to metaphorical uses in culture and media.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "gloom" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "gloom" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "gloom"
-oom sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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