frown

frown vb Frown, scowl, glower, lower, gloom are comparable when they mean to put on a dark or malignant countenance or aspect.

Frown commonly implies a stern face and contracted brows that express displeasure, disapprobation, anger, or contempt

{

that Stonehenge circle of elderly disapproving faces—faces of the uncles, and schoolmasters and the tutors who frowned on my youth— L. P. Smith

}

Scowl carries an implication of wrinkled drawn-down brows that express ill humor, sullenness, or discontent

{

a spinner that would not rebel, nor mutter, nor scowl, nor strike for wages— Emerson

}

Glower implies a more direct stare or gaze than frown or scowl and carries a stronger connotation of anger, contempt, or defiance

{

the steward . . . glowered at Powell, that newcomer, that ignoramus, that stranger without right or privileges— Conrad

}

{

he . . . stood glowering from a distance at her, as she sat bowed over the child— D. H. Lawrence

}

Lower implies a menacing darkness and sullenness of face or of aspect; the term is used in reference not only to persons but to skies that give promise of a storm

{

wandering from chamber to chamber ... all distinguishable by the same lowering gloom— Beckford

}

{

up behind the Sangre de Cristo, gathered great thunderheads, lowering as they came, fringed threateningly with light— Mary A us tin

}

Gloom ordinarily carries a much stronger implication of gloominess or dejection and a much weaker (often nonexistent) suggestion of threatening than does lower

{

they may be wise in not glooming over what is inevitable— Cabell

}

{

Skiddaw [a mountain] gloomed solemnly overhead— Dowden

}

Antonyms: smile

Contrasted words: *disapprove, deprecate