variants
or sombre
1
: so shaded as to be dark and gloomy
2
b
: of a dismal or depressing character : melancholy
c
: conveying gloomy suggestions or ideas
3
: of a dull or heavy cast or shade : dark colored
somberly
adverb
somberness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of somber in a Sentence
Looking out at his audience, a somber mass of monks, Gregory gave Mary a new identity that would shape her image for fourteen hundred years.
—
Jonathan Darman, Newsweek, 29 May 2006
This year marks a somber anniversary—it was 150 years ago that humans wiped out the last survivors of this species. A relative of the razorbills and puffins, and about the size of a small goose, the great auk was black-bodied with a white underbelly, and walked erect, like a penguin.
—Bill Montevecchi, Natural History, August 1994
The purple darkness was filled with men who lectured and jabbered. Sometimes he could see them gesticulating against the blue and somber sky.
—Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, 1895
Her death put us in a somber mood.
The movie is a somber portrait of life on the streets.
He wore a somber suit.
Jonathan Darman, Newsweek, 29 May 2006
This year marks a somber anniversary—it was 150 years ago that humans wiped out the last survivors of this species. A relative of the razorbills and puffins, and about the size of a small goose, the great auk was black-bodied with a white underbelly, and walked erect, like a penguin.
—Bill Montevecchi, Natural History, August 1994
The purple darkness was filled with men who lectured and jabbered. Sometimes he could see them gesticulating against the blue and somber sky.
—Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, 1895
Her death put us in a somber mood.
The movie is a somber portrait of life on the streets.
He wore a somber suit.
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, Mount Tambora stands as a somber reminder of nature’s immense power.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Sweet, downcast vocal performances vastly outnumber the raps, and there are punchy New Wave, goth-rock, folk, and grunge tunes where somber, gauzy trap productions once reigned.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the man who has earned the nickname ‘Dr Doom’ for his usually somber forecasts has a decidedly gloomy outlook.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
In her book, Lenz takes a more somber tone in describing the incident.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for somber 
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Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Sweet, downcast vocal performances vastly outnumber the raps, and there are punchy New Wave, goth-rock, folk, and grunge tunes where somber, gauzy trap productions once reigned.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the man who has earned the nickname ‘Dr Doom’ for his usually somber forecasts has a decidedly gloomy outlook.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
In her book, Lenz takes a more somber tone in describing the incident.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for somber
Dictionary Entries Near somber
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somber. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
somber
adjective
som·ber
variants
or sombre
1
: so shaded as to be dark and gloomy
2
: melancholy entry 2 sense 1, grave
a somber mood
3
: dull or dark colored
somberly
adverb
somberness
noun
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