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 The proceedings were clinical in nature, funereal in spirit and took all of 30 minutes. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026 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 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
  • Over the decades, Rockwell tried his hand at a mix of projects—somber indies like sci-fi drama Moon (2009), studio awards contenders including The Green Mile (1999), and mainstream fare like Iron Man 2 (2010).
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s series goes in a more somber, ruminative direction in the back half of the eight new episodes premiering today on Netflix, balancing the season’s entertaining yet repetitive early episodes.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • The ceremony, held at the Kendall District Station, included a solemn tribute from the color guard and remarks from Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
    — Camila Fernandez, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Last January, he was inducted into the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in Paris during a solemn ceremony at the Institut de France.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • His isolated existence is bleak, especially for such a bighearted person naturally inclined to love others.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But in a bleak indicator of the current political climate, the bait was inflammatory content about Muslims.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • The Ruhr Valley, in contrast, might be Europe’s vastest, most depressing suburb.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The Mongolian restaurant is in the city center, dingy and depressing.
    — Aube Rey Lescure, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • The refreshing under-eye treatments are formulated to smooth, firm, and brighten crow’s feet and dark circles.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The helmet uses a carbon-fiber shell to help control weight and comes supplied with clear and dark visors, as well as a Pinlock anti-fog insert.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • And more than a third of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women worldwide report depressive symptoms.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Sleep disturbances are common in depression, and night owls (who tend to get less sleep than early birds) are likely to have more and worse depressive symptoms.
    — Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • Popular imagination dismissed her as one of the lonely and disappointed women in a cardigan who peopled her novels, her books discarded as conservative and constricting.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Chenault’s stance seems an increasingly lonely one in corporate America.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • From desolate deserts to cut-off civilisations, wild and remote destinations are emerging as the places travellers will be talking about most in 2027.
    — Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The road that leads to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is long and desolate.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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