Brooding: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is deep in thought and often feeling sad or worried. It has a somewhat negative connotation.

• He sat by the window, brooding over his recent breakup

Can be used when someone is giving serious consideration to something or showing care and consideration for others. It has a positive connotation.

• She was very thoughtful when planning her friend's surprise party

This fits situations where someone is thoughtfully considering something, often with a hint of sadness.

• He gazed at the old photographs with a pensive expression

Appropriate when someone is deeply thinking about something in a calm and peaceful way. It can relate to considering ideas or reflecting on life.

• She often takes a contemplative walk in the park on Sunday mornings

Best used when describing a deep, persistent sadness. It has a poetic and somewhat old-fashioned feel.

• The melancholic tune of the violin filled the room with a sense of longing

This term can describe someone deep in thought, often with a gloomy or serious mood. It can also refer to a bird keeping its eggs warm until they hatch.

• He was brooding all evening, lost in his own thoughts.
• The hen is brooding her eggs, waiting for them to hatch.

This word is used more generally for being seated or resting in one place, but in the context of birds, it can also mean keeping eggs warm until they hatch.

• She was sitting on the bench, enjoying the afternoon sun.
• The duck is sitting on her eggs to keep them warm.

This is a technical term used specifically for keeping eggs warm until they hatch, often in a controlled environment like an incubator.

• The scientist is incubating the eggs to ensure the chicks will hatch successfully.
• In the wild, certain birds take turns incubating their eggs.