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
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”)
Explanation
Somber is used to describe situations, facial expressions, or moods that are dark, gloomy, or depressing. Funerals are usually somber affairs. Somber is a slightly formal word. If you have bad or super important news, deliver it in a somber manner otherwise people won’t understand how serious you are. Bad news can put a person in a somber mood. The word somber is derived from the Latin sub umbrā, "under a shadow," and it can also describe dull colors, like brown, grey, or black.
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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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, well-judged and admirably ambitious, “Live by Night” nonetheless falls short of being essential, its familiar moving parts heading predictably toward a conclusion that feels mechanical and preordained.
From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 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)
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.
