Definitions

somber

[som-ber] / ˈsɒm bər /

ADJECTIVE

sad, depressing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak dark dull earnest funereal gloomy grim melancholy mournful sedate serious sober solemn weighty

WEAK

black blue caliginous cloudy depressive dim dingy dire dismal dispiriting doleful down drab dragged dreary dusky grave hurting joyless lugubrious murky no-nonsense obscure sepulchral shadowy shady sourpuss staid tenebrous

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful encouraging excited flippant funny happy hopeful joyful light lively luminous sunny trivial unimportant unserious vivacious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Appeared in the December 18, 2025, print edition as 'A Somber New Home'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

Somber and remorseful, his Beckett in formal attire explains that he has accepted the award so that he can give the money away.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2024

Somber images of the queen sitting alone in St. George’s Chapel were a stark reminder that she was entering the twilight years of her reign, with increasing duties handed to her heir, Prince Charles.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 3, 2022

Somber and exciting, the film, directed by Matt Reeves, shows how large-scale action filmmaking can explore political and moral matters without bogging down in pretentiousness.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2017

So he found "Dorian Gray" and the "Mystic and Somber Dolores" and the "Belle Dame sans Merci"; for a month was keen on naught else.

From This Side of Paradise by Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott)

Vocabulary lists containing somber

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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List 1

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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3

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