as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the rows of abandoned, boarded-up tenement houses made for a rather plutonian landscape
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Recent Examples of plutonian
The morning of April 1, 1976, Moore announced on a BBC radio station that at 9:47 am, Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, creating the Jovian-Plutonian Gravitational Effect.
—
National Geographic, 31 Mar. 2016
His most recent discoveries, the two tiny Plutonian satellites, were named with the help of a popular vote.
—Nadia Drake, WIRED, 15 July 2013
National Geographic, 31 Mar. 2016
His most recent discoveries, the two tiny Plutonian satellites, were named with the help of a popular vote.
—Nadia Drake, WIRED, 15 July 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plutonian
Adjective
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Hathaway, in disheveled straight blonde hair parted down the middle to its thick dark roots, does a convincing job of showing us that Mary, while devoted to her art (and her fame — the two can’t be separated), is a mere mortal who wears her onstage persona like a cosmic costume.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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Store leftover seeds in a cool, dark place until next season.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Longitudinal studies report 2 to 5 times higher risk for major depressive episodes during perimenopause compared with late premenopause.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Studies have shown that giving ketamine without psychological support can reduce depressive symptoms and suicidality within hours.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The wild card in this whole scenario is Orson, who the show positions as a lonely, uncool kid who’s been shipped to his mother’s home in the wake of his father’s (and her ex’s) hospitalization back east.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
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Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Movies Bastian The young main character of the Neverending Story series, Bastian is a lonely young boy who finds purpose and potential in a magical book.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That’s partly because their bleak ending feels like a foregone conclusion from the start, even as Levinson’s frequently funny script crackles with comic depravity.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
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While the subject matter is bleak, Almodóvar balances the darkness with a tenderness and sensitivity that comes from a career of exploring women's lives at their most intimate.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sam Levinson’s vision of a woman’s life is pretty depressing.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
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In his teaching, Weil conveyed his love for Russian literature’s very lengthy — and at times dark and depressing — novels with enthusiasm and aplomb, colleagues recalled.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But just beneath the surface lies a somber discussion about the most famous man in the sport, who is a long way from here.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
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On its face, this has felt like an Easter season more in keeping with the downcast mood of Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper, followed by the betrayal and arrest of Christ, or Good Friday, a somber day of reflection marking Jesus’ death on the cross.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And that’s become a background topic this week, how a once-sumptuous secondary ticket market has become desolate.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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Eastern New Mexico — dry, desolate — looks and feels very much like an appendage of West Texas.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Scenes from some of the Robert Pearson character’s old movies are done in a 1940s Hollywood style using young actors that resemble James Dean or Robert Mitchum juxtaposed with the stark, solemn, isolated existence of the elderly Pearson.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
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Although the pope celebrates mass regularly on Sundays, feast days, and many other occasions, the Urbi et Orbi blessing is much rarer, reserved for solemn events in the church’s liturgical calendar.—
Leo XIV,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plutonian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plutonian. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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