variants
or sombre
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
Relevance
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
The feeling inside the house is quiet and somber.
—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Typical of Vandenberg weather, a marine layer of low clouds and fog added a somber look to the scene.
—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2026
Its gritty military-leaning stories carried a somber post-9/11 feel that seemed appropriate for a fractured world needing a serious reality check.
—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
17 June 2026
During the memorial service, hundreds of students from Utumishi Girls Academy sang a somber hymn declaring that all shall be well.
—
ABC News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Typical of Vandenberg weather, a marine layer of low clouds and fog added a somber look to the scene.
—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2026
Its gritty military-leaning stories carried a somber post-9/11 feel that seemed appropriate for a fractured world needing a serious reality check.
—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
17 June 2026
During the memorial service, hundreds of students from Utumishi Girls Academy sang a somber hymn declaring that all shall be well.
—
ABC News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somber
Adjective
-
She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
-
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.
Adjective
-
The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
-
Cher’s court documents paint a bleak picture of how Allman, 49, allegedly blows through his $120,000 annual trust distributions.
Adjective
-
Tourism and city officials say that marketplace channels festival foot traffic directly to Black entrepreneurs and helps keep dollars circulating in local neighborhoods long after the stages go dark.
-
Jason kept the look casual in a light blue graphic T-shirt, white shorts, a baseball cap and dark sunglasses.
Adjective
-
My wish also is that soloists cease all their vocal theatrics, which only distort and cheapen the solemn rendition of our anthem.
-
The solemn observance honored the victims, survivors and first responders involved in the unprecedented search and recovery effort.
Adjective
-
The details remain murky, but the investment fund would be financed privately and not by US taxpayers, according to the administration.
-
For a predator that relies on sight and fast reaction distances in shallow water, murky conditions can alter the entire hunting landscape and prey may become harder to detect.
Adjective
-
What a depressing, disturbing waste, no matter the final verdict.
-
After watching and enjoying the film, a somewhat depressing thought leaped into my mind.
Adjective
-
Two-thirds of respondents afflicted with alpha-gal reported anxiety or depressive disorders in a 2025 University of Missouri survey.
-
There are four basic types of the disorder, which are characterized by periods of elation and hyperactivity known as manic episodes, which are then followed by depressive stages where the patient experiences feelings of sadness and depression.
Adjective
-
But the book’s ruminative watchfulness is unsuccessfully conjugated in this overly sedate play with music, which has the feel of a song cycle, though sung by the fine cast with gorgeous, lonely sorrow.
-
One casualty was his lovely Princeton apartment, which never came together, more grad-student than dean in its feel, a lonely refrigerator in the kitchen holding only a cup of iced coffee or a jar of mayonnaise.
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somber. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
