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
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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.
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Recent Examples of somber
The mood was mostly sombre during the anthem, although there were some smiles to acknowledge supporters at the Gold Coast stadium.
—
ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
All that desolation might get old if Sub Zero didn’t get so much mileage out of its somber remit.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
The mood in some corners of the Penguins locker room was somber on Wednesday.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The somber moments were well of the heart.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
All that desolation might get old if Sub Zero didn’t get so much mileage out of its somber remit.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
The mood in some corners of the Penguins locker room was somber on Wednesday.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The somber moments were well of the heart.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for somber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somber
Adjective
-
As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For two teens unable to use their legs, the future was especially bleak.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
-
So what’s to be done when things look bleak?—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Police released an image captured from a surveillance video showing a person wearing dark clothes and a backpack, with their face covered.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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But the late-Baroque facade of the building conceals a special, darker history, one that reflects persistent political and legal problems for the bank thousands of miles away, in the US.—
Hugo Miller,
Bloomberg,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Comedian Chris Tucker added some levity to the solemn services with a stand-up set.—
Matt Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Also present for the solemn event were governors and senators from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Florida.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But the longer term fiscal picture is murkier.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Under the late afternoon clouds, the water appears murky, too dark to hold a reflection of the soot- and algae-stained warehouses on the pier.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The aggression with which both parties have worked to manipulate district lines—while loudly inveighing against the other party for doing the exact same thing—is cynical and depressing.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The case exposed the depressing banality of it all—the man smiling politely at you at the bakery, only to rape your comatose body at night.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Alcohol can make depressive symptoms even worse.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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An acute spike in IL-6 following heat exposure appears to correlate with how much depressive symptoms improve.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Gary is a lonely, unassuming postal worker who loves the Counting Crows.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
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Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Somber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somber. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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