Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Deeply earnest, serious, and sober.
- adj. Somberly or gravely impressive. See Synonyms at serious.
- adj. Performed with full ceremony: a solemn High Mass.
- adj. Invoking the force of religion; sacred: a solemn vow.
- adj. Gloomy; somber.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Recurring yearly; annual.
- Marked by religious rites or ceremonious observances; connected with religion; sacred; also, marked by special ritual or ceremony.
- Pertaining to holiday; festive; joyous.
- Of high repute; important; dignified.
- Fitted to excite or express serious or devout reflections; grave; impressive; awe-inspiring: as, a solemn pile of buildings.
- Marked by seriousness or earnestness in language or demeanor; impressive; grave: as, to make a solemn promise; a solemn utterance.
- Affectedly grave, serious, or important: as, to put on a solemn face.
- Accompanied with all due forms or ceremonies; made in form; formal; regular: now chiefly a law term: as, probate in solemn form.
- Sober; gloomy; dark: noting color or tint.
- Synonyms August, venerable, grand, stately.
- Serious, etc. (see grave), reverential, sober.
- To solemnize.
Wiktionary
- adj. Deeply serious and somber.
- adj. Somberly impressive.
- adj. Performed with great ceremony.
- adj. Sacred.
- adj. Gloomy or sombre.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Marked with religious rites and pomps; enjoined by, or connected with, religion; sacred.
- adj. obsolete Pertaining to a festival; festive; festal.
- adj. Archaic Stately; ceremonious; grand.
- adj. Fitted to awaken or express serious reflections; marked by seriousness; serious; grave; devout.
- adj. Obs. & R. Real; earnest; downright.
- adj. Affectedly grave or serious.
- adj. (Law) Made in form; ceremonious; ; conforming with all legal requirements.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
- adj. dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
Etymologies
- From Middle English solemne, from Old French solempne, from Late Latin sōlennis and sōlempnis, from Latin sōlemnis, from sollemnis ("ritual; festive, solemn, customary, celebrated at a fixed date"), from sollus ("entire"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English solemne, from Old French, from Latin sollemnis, established, customary; see sol- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“But he gave what he called a solemn pledge: "We will hold ourselves responsible to do what it takes, as long as it takes, to stop this catastrophe, to repair the damage and to keep this region on its feet.”
The Wall Street Journal: Effort to Plug Well Hangs in Balance
“His expression solemn, he pulled the strip of plaid from behind his shoulder and draped the end over their joined hands.”
“This opening round of hospitality completed, he seemed at a loss, his expression solemn.”
“Bradford nodded, trying his damnedest to keep his expression solemn.”
“That's what I call a solemn promise," exclaimed Tom, as Nanny concluded the prescribed speech.”
Harper's Young People, February 10, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly
“She even laid aside her usual quiet undemonstrativeness, and petted and made much of me, though she laughed a little at what she called my solemn face.”
“On Monday, the Family Leader released a response by Mr. Gingrich, who gave what he called a solemn vow "to defend and strengthen the family.”
“Earlier we told you that Limbaugh - in what he called a solemn tribute - honored the late Gordon Dancy.”
“In empires of eternal form, he never lived, a marble bust, in solemn air, august in strife, inert and noble, wreathed in gilt of autumn leaves.”
“You win," he said in solemn ecstasy, and passed his arms around her.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘solemn’.
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Words related to knowledge
Words that relate to learning, knowing, being enlightened...
revelation, eureka, awakening, idea, sapient, astute, canny, intelligent, wise, sharp, shrewd, informed and 467 more...
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Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 11184 more...
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2nd part
prelude, ample, escalate, prototype, accession, acquisition, archives, zealot, indict, verdict, intimidating, timid and 454 more...
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RELI - words with Biblical connotations
Words in the Bible evoking biblical stories or with special spiritual meaning. Proper names have been reduced to the minimum.
ark, judgement, holy, saint, baptism, spirit, love, eternal, altar, balsam, covenant, flood and 1115 more...
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October 2011
serendipity, grateful, irritable, punchy, twitchy, reverence, solitude, levity, nubble, sojourn, Eden, quesadilla and 19 more...
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rodrigo's list
aspidistra, mosaic, murmur, sussuration, clap, assiduous, hasp, clench, rhythm, solemn, seldom, slash and 18 more...
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MyList
peter out, fraying, jump on the bandw..., indignation, eclectic, hung up, salutary, hoary, warped, glaring, blue-collar, concomitant and 105 more...
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maygra
apropos, advantageous, perception, discombobulated, adumbrate, apogee, perihelion, mortmain, solitudinous, mediastinus, asumbrative, traveler and 498 more...
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SoSheShall's list
slurp, coeur, slurple, glop, perp, fluarxx, ropechno, herrherr, burrduhherrherr, sloppy, cheezie balls, eccentric and 634 more...
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Vocab ##5
appint, monarch, counterpart, muse, bestow, unwitting, aghast, admonish, wage, decree, cavalry, phalanx and 126 more...
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The Most Beautiful Words in the Engli...
mellifluous, obscure, star-crossed, undulating, solstice, messiah, audacious, solace, twilight, wanderlust, lovelorn, byzantine and 219 more...
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Words Covered in Faery Dust (S)
words that evoke magic, mystery, mayhem, magnificence or anything else that glimmers in the grass
sabian symbols, saffron, sagacious, sage, salamander, sally lunn, salmon, salsify, salt water taffy, samhain, sand dollar, sandalwood and 270 more...
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words found to be generally pleasing
alabaster, mahogany, camphor, coalesce, spire, portmanteau, gadabout, palaver, dolor, dour, dun, luminesce and 610 more...
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ADW1
obdurate, obstinate, behest, injunction, enjoin, circumspect, ensconce, discursive, lugubrious, doleful, somber, ken and 2476 more...
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Misc. Words.
Words I like to use, words I like but may forget.
corrosion, astonish, solace, ferment, continuum, kinesthetic, permeate, repose, caprice, cardinal, discourse, surrender and 610 more...
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S
saffron, sapphire, sashay, satin, seashell, seductive, sepia, serene, shadow, shimmer, silhouette, skyline and 96 more...
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