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.

In it, Rousseau acknowledged that it was a "somber day" for his organisation.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

This week began on a somber note with the fatal accident at LaGuardia Airport Sunday night.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

In some instances he reutilizes his usual lively palette, and at others shifts into more somber tones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

“The solemn ritual returns the remains of troops killed in action. It is considered one of the most somber duties of a commander-in-chief.”

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

As I jumped up, I glimpsed the somber tombstones all around me.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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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