somber

[ som-ber ]

/ ˈsɒm bər /

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See synonyms for: somber / somberly on Thesaurus.com

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR somber

1 dusky, murky, sunless.

3 lugubrious, mournful, doleful, melancholy.

See synonyms for somber on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR somber

1 bright.

3 cheerful.

See antonyms for somber on Thesaurus.com

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM somber

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

un·som·ber·ness, noun

How to use somber in a sentence

Contrasting these somber paintings are three larger, colorful ones that attempt to translate songs into gestures, made in response to an eclectic playlist.
In the galleries: Personal and political perspectives on the past|Mark Jenkins|February 19, 2021|Washington Post
All the customer has to do is select the kind of video they want — like one with an energetic feel or a more somber one, for instance.
Capsule raises $2 million for its collaborative video platform aimed at brands|Sarah Perez|January 14, 2021|TechCrunch
Amid last week’s chaos, Friday arrived with another piece of somber news.
Of all the jobs the U.S. workforce lost in December, 100% belonged to women|Emma Hinchliffe|January 11, 2021|Fortune
There is something primitive and prehistoric about it—elemental in its somberness and in its grandeur.
My Life in Many States and in Foreign Lands|George Francis Train

A black cape was brought out and thrown about his shoulders, which seemed to fit exactly into the somberness of the picture.
Mark Twain, A Biography, 1835-1910, Complete|Albert Bigelow Paine
The somberness of Lincoln's childhood was brightened by the memory of his mother.
Lincoln, the Politician|T. Aaron Levy
She loved gayety and brightness, and her whole life was clothed with somberness.
Throckmorton|Molly Elliot Seawell
The occasional rolling thunder of a cannon deepened the somberness of the scene.
The Sword of Antietam|Joseph A. Altsheler