How do you use "Mopey" in a sentence?

He's been mopey ever since his girlfriend left. Don't be so mopey—things will get better. The dog gets mopey when we leave for work. She was mopey for days after the rejection.

Mopey

Q: What does "Mopey" mean?

Sad and listless, sulking Being mopey means walking around in a dejected, self-pitying state—not dramatic grief, but a persistent gloom. Mopey people sigh a lot, don't want to engage, and seem to drag their feet through life.

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★☆☆ Moderate Casual

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Meaning: Sad and listless, sulking

悲伤消沉的、闷闷不乐的

Triste y apático, malhumorado

悲しくて元気がない、ふさぎ込んでいる

슬프고 무기력한, 시무룩한

Being mopey means walking around in a dejected, self-pitying state—not dramatic grief, but a persistent gloom. Mopey people sigh a lot, don't want to engage, and seem to drag their feet through life.

闷闷不乐意味着以一种沮丧、自怜的状态走来走去——不是戏剧性的悲伤，而是持续的阴郁。闷闷不乐的人经常叹气，不想参与，似乎拖着脚步过日子。

Estar 'mopey' significa caminar en un estado abatido y autocompasivo—no es un duelo dramático, sino una tristeza persistente. Las personas decaídas suspiran mucho, no quieren participar, y parecen arrastrar los pies por la vida.

「Mopey」は落ち込んで自己憐憫的な状態で歩き回ること——劇的な悲しみではなく、しつこい憂鬱さです。ふさぎ込んだ人はよくため息をつき、関わりたがらず、足を引きずって生活しているように見えます。

mopey는 울적하고 자기 연민에 빠진 상태로 돌아다니는 것을 뜻한다. 극적인 슬픔이 아니라 지속적인 우울함으로, 한숨을 자주 쉬고 참여하기 싫어하며 삶을 힘겹게 끌고 가는 모습을 말한다.

Examples

He's been mopey ever since his girlfriend left.
女朋友离开后他一直闷闷不乐。
Ha estado decaído desde que su novia se fue.
彼女が去ってからずっとふさぎ込んでる。
여자친구가 떠난 후로 계속 시무룩해 있다.
Don't be so mopey—things will get better.
别这么消沉——会好起来的。
No estés tan decaído—las cosas mejorarán.
そんなに落ち込まないで——良くなるから。
그렇게 시무룩하지 마——나아질 거야.
The dog gets mopey when we leave for work.
我们去上班时狗狗会闷闷不乐。
El perro se pone triste cuando nos vamos a trabajar.
仕事に行くと犬が寂しそうになる。
우리가 출근하면 강아지가 풀이 죽는다.
She was mopey for days after the rejection.
被拒绝后她消沉了好几天。
Estuvo decaída durante días después del rechazo.
断られた後、何日も落ち込んでた。
거절당한 후 며칠 동안 풀이 죽어 있었다.

Pronunciation

/ˈməʊpi/

Usage Guide

Context: friends, family

Tone: mildly critical, sometimes sympathetic

✓ Do Say

Don't be mopey.
别闷闷不乐的。
No estés decaído.
ふさぎ込まないで。
시무룩하지 마.
She's been mopey.
她一直很消沉。
Ha estado decaída.
彼女はずっと落ち込んでた。
그녀가 계속 시무룩해.
Stop moping around.
别到处晃悠了。
Deja de andar arrastrándote.
うじうじしないで。
그만 축 처져 있어.

✗ Don't Say

Slightly dismissive—be careful with seriously sad people
有点轻视——对真正悲伤的人要小心使用
Ligeramente despectivo—ten cuidado con personas realmente tristes
やや軽視的——本当に悲しんでいる人には注意
다소 가볍게 여기는 느낌이 있어 진지하게 슬픈 사람에게는 주의할 것
Implies sadness is somewhat self-indulgent
暗示悲伤有些自我放纵
Implica que la tristeza es algo autoindulgente
悲しみがやや自己憐憫的であることを示唆
슬픔이 어느 정도 자기 탐닉적이라는 뉘앙스가 있음

Common Mistakes

Suggests the sadness is somewhat passive or self-pitying
Not appropriate for serious grief

Origin & History

From 'mope' (to be dejected and listless), dating back to the 16th century. The word captures that dragging, reluctant sadness that makes someone shuffle around aimlessly.

Etymology: From 'mope' (16th century word for being dejected)

First recorded: The adjective 'mopey' from 19th century

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common in teen and coming-of-age contexts; Used affectionately with pets

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking countries. Sometimes spelled 'mopy.'

Variations

Moping aroundA bit mopeyAll mopey