sombre
dark or not bright in colour or light, sometimes making a place feel a bit sad or serious
Dark or dull in colour, or not brightly lit, often creating a slightly serious or sad impression.
serious and quiet, with a sad or heavy feeling and not cheerful
Serious, quiet, and without joy; having or creating a sad, grave, or thoughtful mood or atmosphere.
- Base: sombre
in a sombre mood
1feeling serious and sad
feeling quiet, serious, and a bit sad; not happy or cheerful
- She arrived at the party in a sombre mood and left early.
- After hearing the verdict, he was in a sombre mood for the rest of the day.
on a sombre note
1ending in a serious, sad way
used when ending a talk, meeting, or piece of writing with something serious and sad instead of something happy
- The meeting ended on a sombre note with a discussion of the recent layoffs.
- I do not want to finish on a sombre note, so let me share one positive story.
sombre atmosphere
1serious, sad atmosphere
a feeling in a place that is very quiet, serious, and a bit sad
- A sombre atmosphere filled the church as people waited for the service to begin.
- The empty streets and closed shops created a sombre atmosphere in the town.
sombre expression
1serious, sad facial expression
a face that looks serious and a bit sad, without a smile
- The doctor had a sombre expression when she entered the room.
- He listened with a sombre expression as she told her story.
sombre mood
1a serious, sad general feeling
a general feeling in a place or group of people that is serious and sad
- There was a sombre mood in the office after the layoffs were announced.
- The judge’s words created a sombre mood in the courtroom.
sombre occasion
1serious, sad event
an event where people are serious and usually a bit sad, not happy or celebrating
- The funeral was a sombre occasion attended by close family only.
- It was a sombre occasion, and no one felt like making small talk.
sombre reminder
1sad and serious reminder
something that makes you remember a fact or event in a serious and sad way
- The empty chairs were a sombre reminder of those who had died.
- The ruins stand as a sombre reminder of the war.
sombre tone
1serious, sad way of speaking
a way of speaking, writing, or playing music that sounds serious and a bit sad
- The prime minister adopted a sombre tone when addressing the nation.
- The report’s sombre tone reflected the scale of the crisis.