Dictionary
somber
adjective som·ber \ˈsäm-bər\
: very sad and serious
: having a dull or dark color
Full Definition of SOMBER
1
: so shaded as to be dark and gloomy
2
a : of a serious mien : grave <somber dignitaries> b : of a dismal or depressing character : melancholy c : conveying gloomy suggestions or ideas
See somber defined for English-language learners
See somber defined for kids
Variants of SOMBER
som·ber or som·bre \ˈsäm-bər\
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Examples of SOMBER
- Looking out at his audience, a somber mass of monks, Gregory gave Mary a new identity that would shape her image for fourteen hundred years. —Jonathan Darman, Newsweek, 29 May 2006
- This year marks a somber anniversary—it was 150 years ago that humans wiped out the last survivors of this species. A relative of the razorbills and puffins, and about the size of a small goose, the great auk was black-bodied with a white underbelly, and walked erect, like a penguin. —Bill Montevecchi, Natural History, August 1994
- The purple darkness was filled with men who lectured and jabbered. Sometimes he could see them gesticulating against the blue and somber sky. —Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, 1895
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Origin of SOMBER
French sombre
First Known Use: 1760
SOMBER Defined for Kids
somber
adjective som·ber \ˈsäm-bər\
Definition of SOMBER for Kids
1
: very sad or serious <a somber mood> <somber news>
2
: being dark and gloomy : dull <somber colors>
Variants of SOMBER
som·ber or som·bre \ˈsäm-bər\
Learn More About SOMBER
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