somber
Americanadjective
-
gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted.
a somber passageway.
- Antonyms:
- bright
-
dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color.
a somber dress.
-
gloomy, depressing, or dismal.
a somber mood.
- Synonyms:
- melancholy, doleful, mournful, lugubrious
- Antonyms:
- cheerful
-
extremely serious; grave.
a somber expression on his face.
Other Word Forms
- somberly adverb
- somberness noun
- unsomber adjective
- unsomberly adverb
- unsomberness noun
Etymology
Origin of somber
First recorded in 1750–60; from French, Middle French sombre, probably noun derivative of sombrer (unrecorded) “to make shady,” from Vulgar Latin subumbrāre (unrecorded), from Latin sub- sub- + umbrāre “to cast a shadow” (derivative of umbra “shade, shadow”)
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.
“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
The sun was lost in a bank of somber clouds.
From Literature
Debra DeLaet, a Drake political science professor who participated in the panel, said Wednesday that the mood on campus was somber.
The somber moments were well of the heart.
From Los Angeles Times
In a new form of protest, many Iranians are dancing, singing and clapping around the graves of slain protesters—in contrast to the traditional, more somber religious ceremonies.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
