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
On a somber night in Las Vegas, a feeling far too common for far too many in this city, Landeskog talked through the pain.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
The somber moment at the Coca-Cola 600 came one day after Kyle's family shared his cause of death.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Rain washed out qualifying Saturday, and the gray, overcast sky served as a fitting background for the somber mood enveloping Charlotte Motor Speedway and its 1½-mile track.
—Steve Reed, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Instead, just heartbreak and a somber reminder of the tragic loss that had occurred just days before.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
The somber moment at the Coca-Cola 600 came one day after Kyle's family shared his cause of death.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Rain washed out qualifying Saturday, and the gray, overcast sky served as a fitting background for the somber mood enveloping Charlotte Motor Speedway and its 1½-mile track.
—Steve Reed, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Instead, just heartbreak and a somber reminder of the tragic loss that had occurred just days before.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 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.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This year, though, is things are looking bleak.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Charli and preeminent pop divas Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande are releasing some of the bleakest music of their careers just in time for summer, the traditional season for party anthems and celebratory bangers.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Its dark terrain is constantly changing due to lava flows from Kilauea or Mauna Loa – two of the most active volcanoes in the world, according to the National Park Service website.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Some find the last scene ambiguous, multivalent; some dark; others comic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The once-rising developer’s solemn promise is not likely to be fulfilled if court records in his federal criminal case and a parallel Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit are any indication.—
Jay Weaver
June 6,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
-
What was once an event with great ceremony, solemn prayers and patriotic songs this year lasted fewer than 20 minutes before some 40 people.—
Jerry Shnay,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Where the Cycle-Syncing Science Gets Complicated The picture gets murkier from there.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
The sperm was banked after Epstein's conviction, which raises murky ethics issues in the fertility industry.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Almost a year out to sea is very depressing.—
Steve Walsh,
NPR,
23 May 2026
-
Some sendoffs are mundane; others are downright depressing.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
The activity reduces stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms while supporting better sleep.—
Sneha Dhandapani,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
But a retirement album this is not, and not just because Latto walked back her assertion in her interview with Nadeska, attributing the impulse to a depressive low in the new-album-and-new-motherhood process.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
More than half of the American workforce is lonely.—
Chris Schembra,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2026
-
This is what can make the job feel lonely.—
Matthew Warren,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somber. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
