as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the men awaiting interrogation by the police shared a saturnine silence
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Recent Examples of saturnine
The mood is too saturnine, the occasional nods to social criticism too stilted.
—
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2022
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saturnine
Adjective
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Despite the somber subject matter, cruise ship visitors shouldn’t hesitate to make the museum a priority.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Dedicated to the 184 victims who died at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the somber National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial features 184 illuminated benches situated among 84 Crepe Myrtle trees.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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Even among those who said the pandemic had no long-term effects on their friendships, 38% still reported depressive symptoms.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
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Some studies suggest that kids who are more likely to seek out adult content could struggle with lower self-esteem, emotional problems, body image concerns, or depressive symptoms.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This bleak vision of Hollywood makes for a fascinating backdrop.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
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If Southampton fail to eke out a point on Saturday in the clash of the doomed, things look decidedly bleak.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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All Fair remembers of that dark time in her life was having ongoing headaches, throwing up and struggling with her balance.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
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Suddenly, somebody invented a machine and offered them a new deal: Work in this stinky dark factory or starve.—
Karim Doumar,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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The report tracks a decline in social connections—especially among young people—and shows that half of adults are lonely, linking it to billions of dollars in health care costs.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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Ruth Buzzi, who was so hilarious as the lonely spinster Gladys Ormphby, the lady who swung her handbag as a lethal weapon, on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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They are already relegated to the Championship with five games to play and could break club records after a desperately depressing campaign.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Editor’s picks An hour of episodic television is usually breech-birthed in a depressing Hollywood conference room filled with dyspeptic writers arguing over lines as the space fills up with the smell of fear, body odor, and Asian fusion takeout.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Memphis rapper began the show with dramatics, rising on a giant platform with her back to the audience as a screen behind her projected the image of a desolate street.—
John Lonsdale,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2025
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The food and atmosphere had people from across the city willing to venture to a desolate stretch of Bushwick.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The world of opioid addiction is one of morbid statistics.—
Ethan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2025
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Of course, now the tourist site has a morbid gloom over it.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Saturnine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturnine. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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