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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
  • Tonally, the film is torn between wanting to be brutally bleak and offering some kind of hope for Murphy and his precocious, adorable daughter.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Max was born in 1937 in Berlin to German-Jewish parents who fled the city from the occupation of Nazis in 1938 to Shanghai, where the artist discovered bright colors, a stark contrast from his parents’ bleak past.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 17 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
  • 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
  • This dichotomy, between depressive routine and the spark of something exciting, or even irksome, both informs each relationship, and clarifies (for the viewer) Arash’s state of mind the more his reasons are revealed.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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