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
Despite the somber mood, some trustees were not convinced that their fate was sealed.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
This is a somber, aching sequence for Bernthal, which Storer shoots from down at his and Ireland’s level, in a long take that is now customary for this show.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2026
Ellie and Joel’s trek through the post-apocalypse remains a somber meditation on loss and brutal human nature.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
The festivities have even spread to other countries, but the day remains a somber affair in Mexico.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
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Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
This is a somber, aching sequence for Bernthal, which Storer shoots from down at his and Ireland’s level, in a long take that is now customary for this show.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2026
Ellie and Joel’s trek through the post-apocalypse remains a somber meditation on loss and brutal human nature.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
The festivities have even spread to other countries, but the day remains a somber affair in Mexico.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 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 17 May. 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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