as in gloominess
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Recent Examples of somberness
In 1848, the landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing observed that places like Green-Wood and Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston did a better job of alleviating stress than encouraging somberness.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s a crepuscular somberness, a feeling of looking back on the perfect day, knowing bliss won’t last forever.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
No surprise, then, that this is a fairly respectful rendition, upping the spectacle but staying true to the somberness of Shelley’s cautionary tale.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2026
There’s a crepuscular somberness, a feeling of looking back on the perfect day, knowing bliss won’t last forever.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
No surprise, then, that this is a fairly respectful rendition, upping the spectacle but staying true to the somberness of Shelley’s cautionary tale.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somberness
Noun
-
Colors are accurate and saturated, doing justice to the bright vibrance of Frieren on Crunchyroll on my iPad Air and the dark gloominess of Ball x Pit on my Switch 2 via an adapter.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
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His gloominess seemed to make no sense.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hope springs eternal in Mamdaniland Despite all the doom and gloom in Mets Nation right now, there are still 140 games left to play in the regular season, a point Mamdani emphasized on Tuesday.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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And Sahm told Fortune the gloom isn’t just about this spring.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In it, a crescent of Earth’s blue vitality hovers amid the blackness of space, above a high-definition brownish gray wasteland of lunar craters.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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Together, these two superb artists make much of Yarris constantly seeking the light, as Yarris searches for a way forward from the blackness of death row.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The dimness of the shuttle gallery also assists in the immersive fantasy, both as an artistic choice and a practical one due to the shuttle’s sensitivity to light.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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From its first painterly images, of the face of Meryl Streep, sad and tender and lovely in the semidarkness, the film declares its artistry, its sensitivity and its theme.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2023
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She [Daria] looks at me and smiles in the semidarkness, a calm, shy smile, full of love.—
Katy Waldman,
The New Yorker,
3 Dec. 2021
Noun
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After releasing two alluringly atmospheric final albums, Frozen and Notes Campfire, on a tiny German label, Souled American essentially vanished by the late ’90s, their discography sliding into out-of-print obscurity.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
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Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas rescued the group from obscurity after catching Cheap Trick’s act at a bowling alley in Waukesha, Wis.—
Marc Ballon,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Cubs did not officially make a roster move to add Riley to their active roster because of the murkiness of whether the game would be played.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Mahan and Villaraigosa are the only two Democrats who have publicly called to roll back regulations on the state’s oil and gas market, illustrating the political murkiness at the nexus of California’s climate and affordability challenges.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Somberness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somberness. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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