Standard Lemma guide

sulky

adj · name · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈsʌlki/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

silent and withdrawn after being upset

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, often

Examples

  • the sulky child
  • 1865, Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Indeed, she had quite a long argument with the Lory, who at last turned sulky, and would only say, “I’m older than you, and must know better.” And this Alice would not allow, without knowing how old it was, and, as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no more to be said.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sullen, morose

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A town in the City of Ballarat and the Shire of Hepburn, central western Victoria, Australia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A light, two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart used in harness racing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Any carriage seating only the driver.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

depressingly dark

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the gloomy forest
  • the glooming interior of an old inn
  • `gloomful' is archaic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: glooming, gloomy, gloomful

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

moving slowly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a sluggish stream

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sluggish

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

sullen or moody

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: huffish

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a light two-wheeled vehicle for one person; drawn by one horse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: horse-drawn vehicle

History

Etymology

See sulk. The vehicle is so called as it obliges the rider to be alone, as though sulking.

Across languages

Translations

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَبُوس (ʕabūs) — silent and withdrawn
  • Arabic: جَهِيم (jahīm) — silent and withdrawn
  • Arabic: مقموص — silent and withdrawn
  • Arabic: مكشّر — silent and withdrawn
  • Arabic: مقلضم — silent and withdrawn
  • Bulgarian: намусен (namusen) — silent and withdrawn
  • Chinese Mandarin: 氣惱 /气恼 (qìnǎo) — silent and withdrawn
  • Chinese Mandarin: 悶悶不樂 /闷闷不乐 (mènmènbùlè) — silent and withdrawn
  • Czech: mrzutý — silent and withdrawn
  • Danish: tvær — silent and withdrawn
  • Dutch: nors — silent and withdrawn
  • Dutch: nukkig — silent and withdrawn
  • Dutch: pruilerig — silent and withdrawn
  • Dutch: mokkerig — silent and withdrawn
  • Finnish: murjottava — silent and withdrawn
  • French: boudeur — silent and withdrawn
  • French: boudeuse — silent and withdrawn
  • German: schmollend — silent and withdrawn
  • German: verdrossen — silent and withdrawn
  • Hungarian: durcás — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: borrphusach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: smuilceach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: smutach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: stalcach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: stancánach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: stuacach — silent and withdrawn
  • Irish: stuacánach — silent and withdrawn
  • Italian: malinconico — silent and withdrawn
  • Italian: scontroso — silent and withdrawn
  • Italian: irritato — silent and withdrawn
  • Italian: imbronciato — silent and withdrawn
  • Japanese: 不機嫌な (fukigen na) — silent and withdrawn
  • Japanese: すねた (suneta) — silent and withdrawn
  • Macedonian: на́мрштен (námršten) — silent and withdrawn
  • Macedonian: мра́чен (mráčen) — silent and withdrawn
  • Macedonian: на́муртен (námurten) — silent and withdrawn
  • Māori: tūmatatenga — silent and withdrawn
  • Māori: haumaruru — silent and withdrawn
  • Norman: r'tchîngneux — silent and withdrawn
  • Norwegian: sur — silent and withdrawn
  • Plautdietsch: prunsch — silent and withdrawn
  • Polish: nadąsany — silent and withdrawn
  • Portuguese: emburrado — silent and withdrawn
  • Portuguese: amuado — silent and withdrawn
  • Russian: мра́чный (mráčnyj) — silent and withdrawn
  • Russian: угрю́мый (ugrjúmyj) — silent and withdrawn
  • Russian: наду́тый (nadútyj) — silent and withdrawn
  • Scottish Gaelic: gruamach — silent and withdrawn
  • Spanish: mohíno — silent and withdrawn
  • Spanish: enfurruñado — silent and withdrawn
  • Swedish: sur — silent and withdrawn
  • Swedish: tjurig — silent and withdrawn
  • Swedish: grinig — silent and withdrawn
  • Turkish: asık suratlı — silent and withdrawn
  • Ukrainian: похмурий (poxmuryj) — silent and withdrawn
  • Ukrainian: насуплений (nasuplenyj) — silent and withdrawn
  • Woiwurrung: chipjerreng — silent and withdrawn
  • Bulgarian: двуколка (dvukolka) — two-wheeled cart
  • Dutch: sulky — two-wheeled cart
  • Finnish: kilpakärryt — two-wheeled cart
  • German: Sulky — two-wheeled cart
  • Italian: sediolo — two-wheeled cart
  • Italian: padovanella — two-wheeled cart
  • Macedonian: дво́колка (dvókolka) — two-wheeled cart
  • Maltese: serkin — two-wheeled cart
  • Norwegian: sulky — two-wheeled cart
  • Russian: двуко́лка (dvukólka) — two-wheeled cart
  • Swedish: sulky — two-wheeled cart