somber

[ som-ber ]

/ ˈsɒm bər /

adjective

gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted: a somber passageway.

dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color: a somber dress.

gloomy, depressing, or dismal: a somber mood.

extremely serious; grave: a somber expression on his face.

Words nearby somber

somatotropic, somatotropin, somatotropin release-inhibiting factor, somatotropin-releasing factor, somatotype, somber, sombre, sombrero, sombrous, some, somebody

Also especially British, som·bre.

Origin of somber

1750–60; < French sombre, Middle French, probably noun derivative of *sombrer to make shady < Vulgar Latin *subumbrāre, equivalent to Latin sub- sub- + umbrāre to cast a shadow, derivative of umbra shade

SYNONYMS FOR somber

1 dusky, murky, sunless.

3 lugubrious, mournful, doleful, melancholy.

ANTONYMS FOR somber

1 bright.

3 cheerful.

OTHER WORDS FROM somber

som·ber·ly, adverbsom·ber·ness, nounun·som·ber, adjectiveun·som·ber·ly, adverb

un·som·ber·ness, noun

Examples from the Web for somberness

Yet in his eyes, which formerly had sparkled with the wit of youth, there was more depth and a hint of somberness.
The Best Short Stories of 1920|Various
His young smooth brown face was priestly with pain and somberness and a great pity.
The Wolf Cub|Patrick Casey
Study the writer's humor and show how it serves to relieve the somberness of the book.
The Complete Club Book for Women|Caroline French Benton
Slowly the fire began to dwindle and the shadows to encroach with a dominion of somberness over the room.
The Roof Tree|Charles Neville Buck

The half-murk that at first was mystery and enchantment began to put on somberness and melancholy.
Foes|Mary Johnston