sull up
To pout, sulk, or shut down mad and quiet.
Also called sull, sulled up.
Updated September 24, 2026
sull up pronunciation
/SUHL up/
Meaning
When somebody sulls up, they go silent and stubborn. Arms crossed, jaw set, not talking. Kids do it when they lose a fight over dessert. Grown folks do it over worse. A possum can sull up too, meaning it plays dead. Same word either way: gone still on purpose.
How folks use it
- “He sulled up and wouldn't say another word all supper.”
- “Don't sull up just because you lost the bet.”
Origin and etymology
Back-formed from sullen in American English by the mid-1800s. Strong in Appalachia and the wider South. The possum sense (play dead) grew out of the same idea of going limp and uncooperative.
Frequently asked questions
Can an animal sull up?
Yes. People say a possum sulled up when it plays dead. For people it usually means pouting hard.