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

Within an hour, the somber commemoration by the sea turned into a vibrant two-day intertribal powwow. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

Lee insisted on including the American flags dotting lawns, the general sense of unease and, in a somber touch, a credits sequence featuring the Tribute in Light. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Two years later, I was born, on their wedding date and into a much larger and more somber coincidence. — Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

New York is remembering 9/11 in numerous ways throughout the day Thursday, with somber events that also reflect the resilience of the city, marking the final hours leading up to 25 years since the deadliest terror attacks in the country's history. — Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 10 Sep. 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