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
  • Elderly couples surrounded us in somber ceremony, each of them in seats clustered close to one another, some holding hands, their fingers dusted in crumb cake.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Many social media users suggested Pearman may have missed the point of the somber experience of visiting a living memorial where one of history’s greatest atrocities occurred.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • Yom Kippur, which is coming on Monday, is the most solemn time on the Jewish calendar, is a day of introspection, self-examination, self-evaluation, and self-reflection.
    — Marc Schneier, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The night, centered on the foundation’s ongoing push to fund a cure and support those stigmatized by their HIV status, didn’t end on that solemn note.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • Whether or not this year takes the top slot in that bleak ranking is still unclear.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Its successes have provided a spark of optimism in what has otherwise been a bleak few months for Ukraine.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Having too many Titans on your fantasy roster is just depressing.
    — Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t be put off by the alarming title; this book approaches our ominous political landscape with an eye to diagnosing, not depressing.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • For serious gear collectors tired of pocket clutter and dark backpack voids, this clever mobile workstation is a genuinely smart, highly functional evolution.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Nothing hits quite like a pair of $39 Levi’s jeans, and this perfectly stretchy, dark-wash option is just what the doctor ordered.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Studies that followed African American adolescents and Latino/a adolescents have found a link between experiences of discrimination and depressive symptoms that linger years later.
    — Anahi Collado, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Research has found that low serotonin levels could lead to the return of clinically significant depressive symptoms in people who have depression.
    — Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • The story follows Bobi, a 12-year-old boy born with literal dog’s paws, hidden away by his family until Carlos, a lonely, childless man, takes him in.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • From screenwriter Eric Champnella and set in 2008, Return to You follows a powerful but lonely female attorney (Lohan) who mistakenly receives a very emotional DVD sent by a dying woman to her husband (Golding).
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • Along a desolate stretch of California desert highway, next to a ramshackle home, law enforcement officials on Wednesday dug for a second day in a search for bodies.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • With its fragile acoustic melodies, desolate lyrics, and spare, subtle studio accompaniment, Ride Lonesome is like Nick Drake’s mumble-folk masterpiece Bryter Layter as the work of a lovelorn Laurel Canyon soft-rock poet.
    — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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