SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
solemn
adjective
Serious and dignified in manner, often because of the occasion's importance.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Serious and dignified
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSolemn can reflect the importance of an occasion rather than sadness. Ceremonial concerns formal observance; reverent adds deep respect.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See solemn in use
A solemn silence followed the reading of the names.
A solemn gathering follows, with residents carefully lifting the damaged pages and speaking in a serious, dignified manner about the people remembered there.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license