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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Beck’s first album in seven years is a sublime return to the somber folk-rock of career highpoints like 2002’s Sea Change and 2014’s Morning Phase. — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026 Within an hour, the somber commemoration by the sea turned into a vibrant two-day intertribal powwow. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Two years later, I was born, on their wedding date and into a much larger and more somber coincidence. — Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026 The actor-director continued on a more somber note, driving home the importance of free speech. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 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
  • Shane Beamer's future looks bleak after Gamecocks blew a 16-0 lead against Mississippi State and lost their sixth straight SEC game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In this rain and stiff wind, under a dark sky, from one bleak port to another.
    — Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • Beaches emptied out and dark clouds swirled above choppy seas, while Mexican authorities temporarily suspended classes in a number of areas on Tuesday.
    — DESIREE BROOKS, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Set against these dark parts of the educational system, Lee convincingly casts hagwons as third spaces that advance the hopes of an entire community.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
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
  • Light takes on an ethereal glow and colors blend into murky browns and blacks.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
  • But that failed, too, leaving a murky path for Henderson, whose cancer was so rare the World Health Organization had only given it a name in 2021.
    — Arthur Allen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of murky
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
  • 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
  • If the rumors are true, the M6 could end up being a lonely chip.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
  • No one should have to endure a procedure as unsafe as hers, yet even safety doesn’t always guarantee respite from fear, pain, and grief—feelings that one-note sloganeering about empowerment relegate to a lonely darkness.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of lonely

Browse Nearby Words

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 29 Sep. 2026.

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