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
High-contrast, stark black-and-white tones, water droplets and a somber expression emerging from shadows.
—Evan J. Schwartz, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
There were no somber emotions this time from Dončić’s side, with Balkan music blasting throughout the practice facility before he and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka held a news conference to celebrate Dončić’s extension.
—Khobi Price, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Hundreds of people flooded the steps of the Wyandotte County Courthouse Wednesday evening, each somber person clutching a white candle in their hands.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2025
Even Dexter: Resurrection has retreated from the somber finality of Dexter: New Blood, resorting to the often cartoonish excesses that characterized both the best and worst of the original.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for somber
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Evan J. Schwartz, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
There were no somber emotions this time from Dončić’s side, with Balkan music blasting throughout the practice facility before he and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka held a news conference to celebrate Dončić’s extension.
—Khobi Price, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Hundreds of people flooded the steps of the Wyandotte County Courthouse Wednesday evening, each somber person clutching a white candle in their hands.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2025
Even Dexter: Resurrection has retreated from the somber finality of Dexter: New Blood, resorting to the often cartoonish excesses that characterized both the best and worst of the original.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for somber
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somber. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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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