brooded

Sat with thoughts

Brooded is the past tense of brood.

A hen broods when she sits on eggs to hatch them, keeping them warm beneath her body.

From this comes the figurative sense: to brood is to dwell on something dark or troubling, turning it over in the mind: He brooded over the insult for days.

The image is of thoughts being kept warm, nursed along.

ruminated

pondered

Thought deeply about

dwelt · mulled · deliberated · mused · cogitated · thought · considered · weighed · turned over · stewed

melancholy

sulked

Brooded over offense

  • mopedSulked or wandered sadly
  • gloweredStared with hostile displeasure
  • sullenSilently bad-tempered

morose · gloomy · despondent · dejected · moody · dark · somber · withdrawn · silent · downcast

worried

fretted

Worried persistently

tormented · stewed · obsessed · uneasy · apprehensive · distressed · restless · overwrought · haunted · plagued

incubated

nest

Animal-built shelter for young

clutch · hen · sitting · eggs · hatching · embryo · fledgling · nurture · fertility · nesting

protective

hovered

Stayed airborne in place

mothered · doting · vigilant · attentive · nurturing · shielding · defensive · custodial · maternal · paternal

Opposites
mental attention and engagement

broodeddisregarded

Not given consideration

ignored · dismissed · overlooked · neglected · forgot

emotional valence of rumination

broodedrejoiced

Felt intense gladness

celebrated · delighted · exulted · savored · basked

action vs. inaction

broodedacted

Played a part

took action · moved on · resolved · addressed · confronted

Phrases
Family

brood, brooding, broods, brooder, brooders, broodiness

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Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G