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Dour vs Doleful - What's the difference?

dour | doleful |

As adjectives the difference between dour and doleful

is that dour is stern, harsh and forbidding while doleful is filled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.

dour

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Stern, harsh and forbidding.
  • Unyielding and obstinate.
  • Expressing gloom or melancholy; sullenly unhappy.

    • Synonyms

    * forbidding, harsh, severe, stern * (unyielding) obstinate, stubborn, unyielding * (expressing gloom) dejected, gloomy, melancholic, sullen

    Derived terms

    * dourly * dourness

    doleful

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Filled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.
    • The doleful peal of the bell indicated another funeral was being held.