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
But after seven episodes wearing down the viewer with a bleak perspective, in the season finale, Euphoria pulls itself out of its own somber patterns to reach for grace and mercy in Christian symbolism, American wholesomeness, and the concept of family.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 June 2026
On a somber night in Las Vegas, a feeling far too common for far too many in this city, Landeskog talked through the pain.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Fjord is a somber movie about an ultra-religious couple who move with their family of five from Romania to Norway, only to have the citizens of their new town accuse them of child abuse.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 May 2026
The somber remembrance was sprinkled with joy at the site of his death.
—Esme Murphy, CBS News, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 June 2026
On a somber night in Las Vegas, a feeling far too common for far too many in this city, Landeskog talked through the pain.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Fjord is a somber movie about an ultra-religious couple who move with their family of five from Romania to Norway, only to have the citizens of their new town accuse them of child abuse.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 May 2026
The somber remembrance was sprinkled with joy at the site of his death.
—Esme Murphy, CBS News, 25 May 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 4 Jun. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
