somber

[ som-ber ]

adjective

1. gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted:

   a somber passageway.

   Synonyms: sunless, murky, dusky

   Antonyms: bright

2. dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color:

   a somber dress.

3. gloomy, depressing, or dismal:

   a somber mood.

   Synonyms: melancholy, doleful, mournful, lugubrious

   Antonyms: cheerful

4. extremely serious; grave:

   a somber expression on his face.

Other Words From

• somber·ly adverb
• somber·ness noun
• un·somber adjective
• un·somber·ly adverb
• un·somber·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of somber¹

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

Quietly romantic, somber yet whimsical, “A Gentleman in Moscow,” from the novel by Amor Towles, finds a well-used Ewan McGregor as a dignified aristocrat under permanent house arrest in the attic of Moscow’s last nice hotel after the Russian Revolution, as history rumbles along and people come and go.

From Los Angeles Times

Halfway through, he ran to the piano and tapped out a “somber and slow” waltz idea, and on top of it a dark, coiling melody — with “something off but also maybe something romantic in it.”

From Los Angeles Times

The production doesn’t shy away from such somber notes.

From Los Angeles Times

The cold open was a somber Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton singing “Hallelujah,” and the monologue and sketch that followed felt like perfectly pitched, smart responses to a shocking outcome.

From Los Angeles Times

On Tuesday night, revelers were dancing to 1990s hip-hop but grew somber as states began falling for Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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