Synonym Chooser

How is the word saturnine different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of saturnine are crabbed, gloomy, glum, morose, sulky, sullen, and surly. While all these words mean "showing a forbidding or disagreeable mood," saturnine describes a heavy forbidding aspect or suggests a bitter disposition.

a saturnine cynic always finding fault

When is crabbed a more appropriate choice than saturnine?

The synonyms crabbed and saturnine are sometimes interchangeable, but crabbed applies to a forbidding morose harshness of manner.

the school's notoriously crabbed headmaster

In what contexts can gloomy take the place of saturnine?

The words gloomy and saturnine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gloomy implies a depression in mood making for seeming sullenness or glumness.

a gloomy mood ushered in by bad news

When can glum be used instead of saturnine?

While the synonyms glum and saturnine are close in meaning, glum suggests a silent dispiritedness.

a glum candidate left to ponder a stunning defeat

How do morose and glum relate to one another, in the sense of saturnine?

Morose adds to glum an element of bitterness or misanthropy.

morose job seekers who are inured to rejection

When could sulky be used to replace saturnine?

In some situations, the words sulky and saturnine are roughly equivalent. However, sulky suggests childish resentment expressed in peevish sullenness.

grew sulky after every spat

When would sullen be a good substitute for saturnine?

Although the words sullen and saturnine have much in common, sullen implies a silent ill humor and a refusal to be sociable.

remained sullen amid the festivities

Where would surly be a reasonable alternative to saturnine?

The words surly and saturnine can be used in similar contexts, but surly implies gruffness and sullenness of speech or manner.

a typical surly teenager

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of saturnine The mood is too saturnine, the occasional nods to social criticism too stilted. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saturnine
Adjective
  • For all the highs that Young Thug’s performance delivered, there comes one somber realization.
    Mark P. Braboy, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025
  • There are places where 28 Years Later is gorgeously somber, echoing the desolate lyricism of the first movie.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Caregivers of individuals under 60 are nearly 4 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than non-caregivers and are less likely to seek treatment.
    Tom Chiodo, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • During that bleak era, Che-Chung Tsai, a researcher at the University of Washington, contacted several companies, seeking experimental drugs for use in an animal study.
    Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
  • That said, Google’s latest survey paints a bleak picture.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Executive Chef Graham House and Chef de Cuisine Graham House of Luminosa in Asheville, NC, recommend using a whole roast chicken, both dark and white meat, but placing half of it in the food processor before hand shredding the remaining bits for texture.
    Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
  • Prioritize sleep quality: Creating a consistent bedtime routine and keeping your bedroom cool and dark may help improve sleep.
    Stella Bard, Health, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • On social media, there’s a certain kind of influencer who specializes in attracting lonely, unhappy people by brandishing mantras and principles that will allegedly lead them to more fulfilled and successful lives.
    Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
  • Over in her Hawaiian home land, 19-year-old Nani (Tia Carrere) has been trying her best to fend for herself and her lonely little sister Lilo (beautifully voiced by young Daveigh Chase) in the absence of their parents.
    Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • That’s a depressing setup, but the film is a lot gentler.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • And on that depressing thought, that's how Squid Game ended.
    EW.com, EW.com, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Construction sites and other workplaces have been desolate.
    Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 15 June 2025
  • Her 12-day flight included crossing the rugged Ural Mountains and desolate Siberian wastes, while navigating with only a map and compass.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • The morbid spectacle spawned podcasts, documentaries and multiple changes to state law.
    Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 June 2025
  • There’s also the morbid curiosity about Brian’s death.
    Tyler Hicks, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Saturnine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturnine. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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