funereal

adjective

fyu̇-ˈnir-ē-əl How to pronounce funereal (audio)
Definition of funerealnext
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer shivered with cold in the dark and funereal Victorian mansion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of funereal Indeed, the only black-and-white to be found here is on David Zinn’s thought-provoking set, which washes the abodes of the younger characters in funereal black right down to Suzanna’s hotel bed. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026 The photograph feels funereal but rich, somehow—evocative of the days when Edith Wharton’s troubled characters tried to hide from others’ eyes, while the carriage horses clopped along, each step as heavy as destiny. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026 The album opens with droning, distorted guitars, a funereal chug enlivened by unexpectedly gargantuan drums. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026 The mood around the JBX Talks conference this week was funereal. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for funereal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for funereal
  1. somber
  2. solemn
  3. bleak
  4. depressing
  5. dark
  6. depressive
  7. lonely
  8. desolate
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • Both are powerful spots of natural beauty and deep cultural significance, but for a less solemn outing, the little islet of Ojima sits neatly between the two.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
  • After seeing corrupt cops rewarded with medals and politics debase his best friend, now the courts can’t even be trusted to perform their solemn duty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • The past summer in Russia has also been shaping up as a bleak season for Putin’s Russia.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Tyler Biadasz suffered a serious injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in practice this week, and the prognosis sounds bleak.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Romano’s wry, hangdog default demeanor suits his character, Joe, a father of two who’s separated from his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) and living in a depressing motel.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The simple, rather depressing, and completely overwhelming fact of the matter is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe cannot be ignored, even as superhero fatigue has definitively set in at the global box office.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • The design featured an orange-and-black clown outfit, black gloves and a dark face covering with an exaggerated smiling mouth.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Funky black garlic hides within that mushroom melange, and the pie arrives dotted with a dramatic, dark tamarind sauce.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Most women with postpartum psychosis develop manic and depressive symptoms that can come close together or overlap.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In a 2025 study of older parents, being cut off from an adult child was associated with poorer well-being and a reduced sense of purpose, as well as greater depressive symptoms.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • What brought him back to this sad, lonely spot after an entire decade?
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Cycle north along the beach to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, where hiking trails, lonely sands, picnic sites, and kayak rentals fronting a freshwater lake await.
    — Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • The desolate landscape and little human occupation thereafter helped preserve the rock art through centuries of exposure to wind, rain, and sun.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In July 1991, Gerard Dorsey was gunned down in an alley off North Brice Street in a desolate West Baltimore alley.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of desolate

Browse Nearby Words

funerals
funereal
fungible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Funereal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/funereal. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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