solemn

adjective

sol·​emn ˈsä-ləm 

1

: very serious or formal: such as

a

: characterized by or causing a very serious and subdued attitude or atmosphere

a solemn gathering

a solemn moment

her solemn expression

a solemn reminder of the price of freedom

The mood in the room grew solemn.

The governor-general came out on stage and told us in gentle but solemn tones that the King had died and that we now had a Queen.

—Adrienne Clarkson, quoted in The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

b(1)

: done or made with the utmost sincerity

They made a solemn vow to love each other always.

(2)

: formal and binding especially in accordance with religion or law

They swore a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution.

… the photo of her in her black habit on the day she'd made her solemn vows.

—Tricia Currans-Sheehan

c

: of a serious nature : sacred sense 5b

She considered it her solemn duty and responsibility.

d

: marked by the observance of established form or ceremony

specifically : celebrated with full liturgical ceremony

dedicated the church with a solemn High Mass

2

a

: somber, gloomy

a solemn gray building

b

: awe-inspiring, sublime

the solemn beauty of the snow-covered mountains

solemnly adverb

solemnness noun

Synonyms

• august
• dignified
• distingué
• distinguished
• imposing
• portly
• staid
• stately

Choose the Right Synonym for solemn

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous.

serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Examples of solemn in a Sentence

The women running the office where I was given immunizations and completed more paperwork said they had a young friend back in the District who would love my British accent. They were going to call her this very instant, they teased, and then I'd have a companion for the evening. They also talked in more solemn tones about all the brave men and women who came through the base and then shipped off to Iraq. —Willem Marx, Harper's, September 2006

Caesar was slaughtered in a sanctified space, his body was sacrosanct since he held the position of supreme pontiff, and his assassins had recently taken a solemn oath to protect his life with their own. Yet none of this seems to have figured prominently in the charges that were laid against his killers. —Robert Garland, History Today, February 2004

The testimony may well have had serious judicial consequences, even lethal ones, but its style is so glum and flat-footed that it gives an impression not of solemn majesty but of grotesque comedy … —Jonathan Ree, Times Literary Supplement, 13 Aug. 2004

To the vast majority of people in this Muslim nation of 145 million, Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, not war and hatred. It requires that women dress modestly, but not make themselves invisible. Its mosques are solemn and silent, but its shrines are relaxed and colorful. Its liturgy says Islam should be spread by persuasion, not by force … —Pamela Constable, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2001

He spoke in a solemn and thoughtful manner.

He wore a very solemn expression on his face.

He recited the poem in a solemn voice.

A solemn crowd gathered around the grave.

We made a solemn promise to love each other forever.

Recent Examples on the Web

These gestures serve as solemn tributes to individuals who have served their communities and country, as well as to the memory of significant historical events. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

Finding the cemetery after all this time was exciting but also solemn for Tony Guzzi, chief of preservation and site operations. —Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024

But the instructor seemed pleased and solemn and, in the end-of-class show, hung the work where one saw it first thing. —Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024

But less interesting doesn’t mean less impactful, as Foxx imbues with solemn reverence the emotional turmoil of re-learning to stand, walk, and clean himself. —Lucy Ford, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English solempne, from Anglo-French, from Latin sollemnis regularly appointed, solemn

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing solemn

• solemn mass
• solemn vow

Kids Definition

solemn

adjective

sol·​emn ˈsäl-əm 

: being serious and dignified in appearance or behavior

solemnity

sə-ˈlem-nət-ē

noun

solemnly

ˈsäl-əm-lē

adverb