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
As results from the presidential election trickled in showing Vice President Kamala Harris’s growing deficit to former President Donald Trump, Simon took a somber tone.
—Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
From Bill Plaschke: The silent, somber Bronx suddenly was bathed in joyous dancing blue, a screaming scrum leaping and bouncing and hugging into history.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
Day of the Dead greetings Despite its cheerful appearance, Dia de los Muertos is a somber holiday to honor those who have passed on.
—Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
Despite Captain Robert Massey’s somber reminder that real life can occasionally intrude on the magic of the Odyssey, the show itself is highly polished make believe.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for somber 
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Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
From Bill Plaschke: The silent, somber Bronx suddenly was bathed in joyous dancing blue, a screaming scrum leaping and bouncing and hugging into history.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
Day of the Dead greetings Despite its cheerful appearance, Dia de los Muertos is a somber holiday to honor those who have passed on.
—Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
Despite Captain Robert Massey’s somber reminder that real life can occasionally intrude on the magic of the Odyssey, the show itself is highly polished make believe.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 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 Nov. 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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