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 subject matter, cruise ship visitors shouldn’t hesitate to make the museum a priority.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Dedicated to the 184 victims who died at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the somber National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial features 184 illuminated benches situated among 84 Crepe Myrtle trees.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Baldwin’s performance is somber, weighted perhaps by the events on set.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
Around 150 people gathered in the Haltom City council chamber and another 100 people, many older Vietnamese Americans, stood in the lobby as veterans and officials observed the somber occasion.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2025
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.
David Nikel, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Dedicated to the 184 victims who died at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the somber National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial features 184 illuminated benches situated among 84 Crepe Myrtle trees.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Baldwin’s performance is somber, weighted perhaps by the events on set.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
Around 150 people gathered in the Haltom City council chamber and another 100 people, many older Vietnamese Americans, stood in the lobby as veterans and officials observed the somber occasion.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 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 12 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share