somber

adjective

ˈsäm-bər How to pronounce somber (audio)
variants or sombre
Definition of sombernext
1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light the prison's somber interrogation room has the desired effect of striking fear and despair into the prisoner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the somber occasion of a dear friend's funeral

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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 somber Back then, it was painted in a somber shade of Battleship Grey and, surprisingly, built without a customer order. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2026 The daughter of a brass tree guest told me that on the last day, her mother pulled her aside and offered a somber warning. — Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 Miller's new ad opens with a somber sequence of close-ups of various people's faces as the congressman talks about how divorce affects families. — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 The joy and innocence that greeted students and teachers on their return to school in early September has been lost, replaced by a somber and quiet aura. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for somber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somber
  1. darkened
  2. bleak
  3. dark
  4. solemn
  5. murky
  6. depressing
  7. depressive
  8. lonely
Adjective
  • Around them stand darkened houses, and uncollected trash piles up on the street.
    — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
Definition of darkened
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 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
  • 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
  • But the meteoric takeoff of karaoke has soared far past its humble—and slightly murky—origins.
    — Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But the distinction between physical and mental phenomena becomes murky in disembodied entities like language models.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of murky
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
  • 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

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somatic
somber
somberly
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Cite this Entry

“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somber. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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