sombre
Britishadjective
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dismal; melancholy
a sombre mood
-
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.
It's a sombre moment for Silicon Valley and the implications are global.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
He was known for his powerful voice, moving easily between romantic ballads and more sombre songs.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 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
The country's main television channel has this week broadcast songs with sombre melodies and published a photo of Rakhmon on a black background with the quote, "the man of the Sun Dynasty."
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
In the afternoon the dark clouds began to overtake them: a sombre canopy with great billowing edges flecked with dazzling light.
From "The Two Towers" 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.
