morbid

adjective

ˈmȯr-bəd How to pronounce morbid (audio)
Definition of morbidnext
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer a pessimist who is given to morbid introspection and thoughts of death

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 morbid Aside from Marvel, which may be more of a morbid curiosity for some at this point, the most exciting panel is for The Vampire Lestat. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 July 2026 The Genesee County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease, with morbid obesity listed as a contributing condition. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Leyton, citing an autopsy, told WNEM that Casper O'Brien died of a heart muscle disease, with morbid obesity being a contributing factor. — Nick Lentz, CBS News, 27 June 2026 Here, as ever, Kokopeli suggests that clinging to youthful talismans offers no protection against uncertainty, and reasserts the odd mix of disaffection and morbid glee produced by such reactionary impulses. — Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for morbid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for morbid
  1. somber
  2. depressing
  3. bleak
  4. depressive
  5. dark
  6. lonely
  7. solemn
  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
  • Climate change, depressing and overwhelming, falls into that category.
    — Peter Prengaman, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Keegan’s first decision at Newcastle as manager in 1992 was to fumigate the depressing training ground.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Although the news may be bleak for the dinner's thousands of supporters, the committee also shared a glimmer of hope.
    — Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In many ways, her life feels like a bleak look at the false promise of placing all of your need for validation in your husband.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs such as Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft, target a range of depressive and anxiety disorders.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Up to a certain point, social media use didn't pop as a big predictor for depressive feelings.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressive
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
  • This generation is lonelier, more anxious and more depressed than any before it.
    — Tom Suozzi, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Those who reported feeling lonely had a 14% higher risk of dying early than those who did not.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner made a solemn pledge to never stop trying.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • Exploring Indonesia—an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands—over more than a decade has led me to some truly jaw-dropping beaches, some gloriously desolate, others vibrantly alive with international travelers, expats, and locals.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Noisemaker feels a genuine kinship with the Gallico story, including its setting, a desolate stretch of coastline in eastern England.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of desolate

Browse Nearby Words

moratoriums
morbid
morbidness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Morbid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/morbid. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gumption

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All