somber

[som-ber] / ˈsɒm bər /

ADJECTIVE

sad, depressing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak dark dull earnest funereal gloomy grim melancholy mournful sedate serious sober solemn weighty

WEAK

black blue caliginous cloudy depressive dim dingy dire dismal dispiriting doleful down drab dragged dreary dusky grave hurting joyless lugubrious murky no-nonsense obscure sepulchral shadowy shady sourpuss staid tenebrous

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful encouraging excited flippant funny happy hopeful joyful light lively luminous sunny trivial unimportant unserious vivacious

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.

There’s also an equally somber take from Piper Sandler.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

In it, Rousseau acknowledged that it was a "somber day" for his organisation.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Debra DeLaet, a Drake political science professor who participated in the panel, said Wednesday that the mood on campus was somber.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

But the slightly somber man on the other side of our Zoom connection is certainly not as convinced of his own staying power.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

McCreary Park marked the end of the somber storeowners.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Vocabulary lists containing somber

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

List 1

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!