solemn
Americanadjective
-
grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood.
solemn remarks.
- Antonyms:
- humorous
-
gravely or somberly impressive; causing serious thoughts or a grave mood.
solemn music.
- Antonyms:
- trivial
-
serious or earnest.
solemn assurances.
-
characterized by dignified or serious formality, as proceedings; of a formal or ceremonious character.
a solemn occasion.
- Synonyms:
- ceremonial, ritual
-
made in due legal or other express form, as a declaration or agreement.
a solemn oath.
-
marked or observed with religious rites; having a religious character.
a solemn holy day.
- Synonyms:
- sacred, devotional
-
uttered, prescribed, or made according to religious forms.
a solemn ban on sacrifice.
adjective
-
characterized or marked by seriousness or sincerity
a solemn vow
-
characterized by pomp, ceremony, or formality
-
serious, glum, or pompous
-
inspiring awe
a solemn occasion
-
performed with religious ceremony
-
gloomy or sombre
solemn colours
Synonym Usage
See grave 2.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of solemn
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English solem(p)ne, from Old French or directly from Late Latin sōlennis, sōlempnis, Latin sōlemnis, variant of sollemnis “consecrated, holy,” derivative of sollus “whole”
Explanation
If you’ve ever attended a funeral, you were probably struck by how quiet, earnest, and solemn the mood was. You can use the word solemn to describe anything that's really serious and dignified. The adjective solemn comes from the Latin sollemnis, which means formal or ceremonial. You can still use it to describe a ceremony or event, but it's also a good word for talking about someone who's serious and sincere and maybe lacks a sense of humor about certain things. Here's a trick for remembering it: Think of a "sole man," a serious guy standing alone at a party talking to no one.
Vocabulary lists containing solemn
List 2
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 4
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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.
The solemn dignified transfer, in which the servicemembers’ remains are returned to the U.S., occurs for those who die in the theater of operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Wang also "articulated China's solemn position regarding a series of negative words and actions by the US side", the statement said, without referring to specific issues.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
I’d change into play clothes, take my bowl and begin the solemn work of crushing an obscene number of crackers into the carrot-flecked broth until the spoon could nearly stand upright.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
Russell’s befuddled Jackson is as useless as a traffic cone but Blunt’s Margaret is a gas before the movie makes her go all glassy-eyed and solemn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Madge is watching us, with a strange, solemn expression.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
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.
