as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the decrepit mansion had a sepulchral tone that gave everyone a chill
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sepulchral
Short and broad with sepulchral eyes, Karrenna wore a bucket hat, polo shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.
—
Sean Williams, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
For the occasion, the Shed’s Griffin Theater greets guests with an antechamber cast in sepulchral light and hung with wall size images from Sakamoto’s life.
—Max Lakin, New York Times, 25 June 2023
Wolverine Blues saw Swedish death-metal pioneers Entombed slowing down and adding a rock and roll swagger to their grisly, sepulchral sound, and in the process realizing some of their most memorable material.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
The lighting is sepulchral, the air dank.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2020
See All Example Sentences for sepulchral
Sean Williams, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
For the occasion, the Shed’s Griffin Theater greets guests with an antechamber cast in sepulchral light and hung with wall size images from Sakamoto’s life.
—Max Lakin, New York Times, 25 June 2023
Wolverine Blues saw Swedish death-metal pioneers Entombed slowing down and adding a rock and roll swagger to their grisly, sepulchral sound, and in the process realizing some of their most memorable material.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
The lighting is sepulchral, the air dank.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2020
See All Example Sentences for sepulchral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sepulchral
Adjective
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Chapple, the late Queen’s beekeeper, went first to Clarence House and then Buckingham Palace to perform his somber duty of telling the bees, a centuries-old custom of informing the bees when their owner has died.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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News voices in the 1970's tended to be somber, accent-less, and almost exclusively male.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Yes, there are good reasons to question NASA's long-term plans for the Artemis lunar program—the woeful cost of the Space Launch System rocket, the complexity of new commercial landers, and a bleak budget outlook.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
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That's rather bleak, while Charlie Sheen's life has just been bonkers.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Interestingly, Lorraine has taught Judy to ward off her frightening visions by using a nursery rhyme, effectively teaching her to suppress her dark side.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The Dolphins wear white jerseys at home for afternoon games, forcing opponents to wear darker colors that absorb more heat.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of course as their cross-country road trip progresses and Felice racks up first-round-loss after first-round-loss, Gatti’s louche lifestyle is revealed to have a darker, more depressive aspect.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
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These issues ranged from academic difficulties and disruptive behaviors to depressive moods.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Silksong is steeped in religious imagery — desolate chapels, ringing church bells, even rosary beads that act as in-game currency.—
Keller Gordon,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
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Her haunting soprano ranged from desolate whispers to expansive belts.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His work in those early days bears little resemblance to the crystalline large-format portraits of lonely American landscapes that would come to define his career.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
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Quarterback is an isolating and lonely position, despite entire infrastructures reverse-engineered in service of those who play it, to say nothing of the elaborate playbooks created for them.—
Seth Wickersham,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cape Town overflows with history and culture, from the colorful houses and Cape Malay heritage of Bo-Kaap to the solemn shores of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps that should be a solemn oath for all AI makers.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His relentless prepackaged positivity — even in the wake of depressing game day results — turned him into something of a punch line.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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The depressing effect of the seasonality is somewhat offset by the ‘5’ effect.—
Bill Sarubbi,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sepulchral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sepulchral. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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