sombre
Britishadjective
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dismal; melancholy
a sombre mood
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dim, gloomy, or shadowy
-
(of colour, clothes, etc) sober, dull, or dark
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Speaking in front of a black background, he was sombre and reflective as he introduced himself and shared the unexpected news.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Underneath her pragmatism and sombre suits lie some surprises.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
King Charles III and Queen Camilla laid flowers at the September 11 Memorial in New York, in a sombre moment during their state visit to the United States.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
The meetings of finance ministers such as the G20 breakfast were sombre affairs.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
Now he was one small soldier in a city preparing for a great assault, clad in the proud but sombre manner of the Tower of Guard.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
