sombre

British  

/ ˈsɒmbrəs, ˈsɒmbə /

adjective

1. dismal; melancholy

   a sombre mood

2. dim, gloomy, or shadowy

3. (of colour, clothes, etc) sober, dull, or dark

---

Other Word Forms

• sombrely adverb
• sombreness noun
• sombrous adjective

Etymology

Origin of sombre

C18: from French, from Vulgar Latin subumbrāre (unattested) to shade, from Latin sub beneath + umbra shade

Explanation

When you're sombre — or somber — you're acting glum, depressed, or sad. Being sombre is the opposite of being perky or happy. This is a word that has to do with the mood of a person or event. A funeral is going to be sombre, and the people at the funeral are usually pretty sombre, too. It's a quiet, serious, and even gloomy kind of feeling. Objects can look sombre if they're dull and colorless. Just don't get sombre and confused by the spelling: the "re" ending is a British thing, while Americans usually end it with "er."

Example Sentences

The meetings of finance ministers such as the G20 breakfast were sombre affairs.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

"When I came last time and went back to the hotel for breakfast it was so sombre and quiet," she said.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

In the Soviet Union, sombre music was often broadcast when leaders fell ill or died.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

"It will be a very sombre celebration… deeply sad and sorrowful but it will also acknowledge their heritage and their culture."

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

Entering that sombre study, I could see just outside the window the brilliant red flames lit in every tree, and beyond, some threatening thunderclouds.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• boring
• flat
• ho-hum
• muted
• uninspired