DOLDRUMS Definition & Meaning

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doldrums

[ dohl-druhmz, dol-, dawl- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(used with a plural verb)

a state of inactivity or stagnation, as in business or art:
August is a time of doldrums for many enterprises.
the doldrums,
1. a belt of calms and light baffling winds north of the equator between the northern and southern trade winds in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
2. the weather prevailing in this area.
a dull, listless, depressed mood; low spirits.
Synonyms: , , ,

doldrums

/ ˈ��ɒ��ə�� /

noun

a depressed or bored state of mind
a state of inactivity or stagnation
1. a belt of light winds or calms along the equator
2. the weather conditions experienced in this belt, formerly a hazard to sailing vessels

doldrums

/ ��ō��′��ə��′ /

A region of the globe found over the oceans near the equator in the intertropical convergence zone and having weather characterized variously by calm air, light winds, or squalls and thunderstorms. Hurricanes originate in this region.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of doldrums¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; obsolete dold stupid ( dolt ) + -rum(s) (plural) noun suffix ( tantrum )

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of doldrums¹

C19: probably from Old English dol dull , influenced by tantrum

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Idioms and Phrases

see in the doldrums .

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

With one foot in either place, we’re pulled between the impish naivete of childhood — when the future seemed vast and bright — and the doldrums of adulthood.

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If nothing else, they’re a fun way to shake our winter doldrums and marvel at how inventive people can be with flowers, shrubs, grasses and trees.

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Gatland ended his first Welsh tenure following a fourth-place finish in the 2019 World Cup in Japan, stating on his farewell it would "break my heart if Wales went back into the doldrums".

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Taking the biggest stage in music a week later was merely a victory lap, one that brought Super Bowl LIX out of the doldrums — at least for 12 minutes.

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Never fear, “Dog Man” is here — to save your families from the doldrums of January moviegoing.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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