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
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
The glow of hundreds of candles illuminated somber faces, sobs often cutting through the silence in the crisp spring air.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
As McKenna's family mourns and questions continue to swirl about the circumstances surrounding the teen's death, here's how those who loved her remembered her on a somber day in South Dakota and what to know about the case.
—Angela George, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The group recasts these songs with somber, chant-like harmonies and sparse backing—drums, keys, and electric guitar.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
But there was a somber note too, as one of the jurors, Ida Panahandeh, couldn’t attend Series Mania because of the ongoing war.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
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Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
As McKenna's family mourns and questions continue to swirl about the circumstances surrounding the teen's death, here's how those who loved her remembered her on a somber day in South Dakota and what to know about the case.
—Angela George, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The group recasts these songs with somber, chant-like harmonies and sparse backing—drums, keys, and electric guitar.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
But there was a somber note too, as one of the jurors, Ida Panahandeh, couldn’t attend Series Mania because of the ongoing war.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somber. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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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