somber

adjective

som·​ber ˈsäm-bər 

variants or sombre

1

: so shaded as to be dark and gloomy

2

a

: of a serious mien : grave

somber dignitaries

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 of somber

• darkened
• dark
• murky

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Davis was much more somber, and his attorney, Wayne Higgins, is heard frequently admonishing his client for volunteering unnecessary information. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Bookended by drone shots of the Macedonian countryside and a somber cello refrain by Novogradska, this 86-minute doc is otherwise composed of scoreless interviews with subjects seated in front of black curtains and captured in medium range. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

After that horrible 2011 stab at the scifi superhero with Ryan Reynolds in it, Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) returns in a more somber but certainly enjoyable eight-episode series on HBO. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026

One is fluorescent, maximalist, and celebratory; the other is somber, introspective, and stripped back. — Thalía Henao, Allure, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French sombre

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

somber

adjective

som·​ber

variants or sombre

ˈsäm-bər 

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