1
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the diner's dim lighting makes eating there a particularly lugubrious experience
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2
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
in Victorian times, people who could affect particularly lugubrious expressions were hired to march in funeral processions as professional mourners
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lugubrious
The locker room was far from lugubrious following an indicting 114-98 loss Tuesday to the weary and mediocre Miami Heat.
—
Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Thus, the adaptation is a dialogue-heavy film (and not only by comparison with its silent forebear, which indeed has dialogue, in the form of intertitles) and a sluggish, lugubrious one.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Chu, however, takes Wicked very seriously indeed; so much so that he’s stretched out the musical’s 90-minute first act into a lugubrious two hours and 40 minutes, mostly by keeping the pacing slow and solemn.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 20 Nov. 2024
Same, too, with the lugubrious dance of the conclave itself, with its round after round of balloting and tallying and quiet reflecting.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lugubrious
Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Thus, the adaptation is a dialogue-heavy film (and not only by comparison with its silent forebear, which indeed has dialogue, in the form of intertitles) and a sluggish, lugubrious one.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Chu, however, takes Wicked very seriously indeed; so much so that he’s stretched out the musical’s 90-minute first act into a lugubrious two hours and 40 minutes, mostly by keeping the pacing slow and solemn.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 20 Nov. 2024
Same, too, with the lugubrious dance of the conclave itself, with its round after round of balloting and tallying and quiet reflecting.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lugubrious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lugubrious
Adjective
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A lot of emotions — excitement and rejuvenation about joining a new team but also reflective and somber about his tenure in Boston coming to an end.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
10 Mar. 2025
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The mood at the event was anything but somber, though.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Season four will be the last for The Righteous Gemstones, and there are signs in this mournful (and vulgar/hilarious) episode that this extremely American empire may be going the way of Kelvin’s treehouse.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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All of these episodes have different types of endings: There’s bleak to total cliffhanger to sentimental.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2025
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Some practical frameworks and strategies enable leaders to maintain stability, foster engagement, and position their teams for success even when the economic outlook appears bleak.—
Kara Dennison, SPHR, CPRW, EC,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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It's often associated with major depressive, bipolar or substance use disorders, report co-author and senior policy director at Healthier Colorado Christina Walker tells us.—
Esteban L. Hernandez,
Axios,
7 Mar. 2025
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Meanwhile, an analysis of more than 185,000 Danish individuals at the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register from 1995 to 2012 found a more than 10 percent rise in depressive episodes following the shift from summertime to standard time.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The squads will rotate funeral duty to maintain their health.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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Many of the items had been burned, suggesting that they might have been torched upon a funeral pyre, but no human remains were found amid the assemblage.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Many learned the depressing answer only when trying to scan badges and getting rejected by security, which treated them more or less like trespassers.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After raising the baby for five months, Murray, heartbroken, handed him over to his biological parents.—
Alexandra Chaidez,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
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But in a confessional, Stacey weeps while sympathizing with her heartbroken friend.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lugubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lugubrious. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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