1
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the diner's dim lighting makes eating there a particularly lugubrious experience
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
in Victorian times, people who could affect particularly lugubrious expressions were hired to march in funeral processions as professional mourners
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lugubrious
The legacy relaunch — originally titled Superman: Legacy when the project was announced in 2023 — represents a stark departure from writer-director Zack Snyder’s comparatively lugubrious, Zod-killing superhero deconstruction Man of Steel (2013).
—
Chris Lee, Vulture, 14 July 2025
Some movie-goers love that sort of lugubrious, meditative filmmaking, some not so much, but either way — and to paraphrase Carly Simon — nobody does it better.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2025
In one lugubrious sequence in which various members of Willie’s children’s generation take part in a pickleball tournament, the young men attempt to trash-talk one another.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 1 June 2025
Jesus and Mahavira: lanky, lugubrious men, asking me to choose between them.
—Tishani Doshi, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lugubrious
Chris Lee, Vulture, 14 July 2025
Some movie-goers love that sort of lugubrious, meditative filmmaking, some not so much, but either way — and to paraphrase Carly Simon — nobody does it better.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2025
In one lugubrious sequence in which various members of Willie’s children’s generation take part in a pickleball tournament, the young men attempt to trash-talk one another.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 1 June 2025
Jesus and Mahavira: lanky, lugubrious men, asking me to choose between them.
—Tishani Doshi, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lugubrious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lugubrious
Adjective
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Whatever your position on the war, killing human beings is a matter for somber reflection and not the intense joy Hegseth displays.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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The big story Instead of trumpeting China's tech advances, Premier Li Qiang struck an uncharacteristically somber tone during a nationwide address on policy plans.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Over the years, humpback whale songs have been recorded for human listening, with many describing the songs as having a haunting, mournful quality.—
Patrick Whittle,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
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Humpback whales, which can weigh more than 55,000 pounds, are the ocean's most renowned singers, capable of complex vocalizations that can sound ethereal or even mournful.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But just as the season was looking bleak, the Horned Frogs began to evolve into the best versions of themselves.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
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But as bleak losses pile up at the end of another disappointing season, this defensive disconnect remains a clear focal point for the team’s plans to build a better future.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Studies show that adults with anxiety and untreated ADHD suffer greater functional impairment and more frequent relapses, meaning their severe anxiety or depressive episodes keep returning despite therapy or medication.—
Deldhy Nicolás Moya Sánchez,
The Conversation,
16 Mar. 2026
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Research suggests changes in brain chemistry involving neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine can cause depressive symptoms, says Noorlander.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Borders’ widower, Ben Oliver, and sister, Angela Borders, organized a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Family members have set up an online fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That’s why our testers—spanning a wide range of skin types, ages, and skin concerns—have spent months determining which products actually deliver on their fine-line-smoothing and dark-circle-erasing promises.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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The suspect has a dark complexion and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and blue pants, cops said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Also up for sale is a 13-page affidavit filed by Paul McCartney in December 1970 to break up The Beatles, leaving fans heartbroken.—
Adam Reiss,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
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An 83-year-old Air Force veteran pushed onto the subway tracks by a stranger at an Upper East Side station in a random act of violence is unlikely to survive, his heartbroken daughter told the Daily News Tuesday.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lugubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lugubrious. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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