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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The work’s third movement offers an intriguing pizzicato section, as well moments of discordant — though not somber — unease.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
11 July 2025
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On Wednesday, hundreds prayed, wept and held one another at a prayer service, among the first of many somber gatherings to come in the weeks ahead.—
Nadia Lathan,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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There was also a 28% lower risk of falls, and a 22% lower incidence of depressive symptoms.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
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A couple of small trials have even shown that following the Med diet for a few weeks may soften the severity of depressive symptoms in people who already have them.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The reversal is notable because this traditionally bleak indicator had been trending more positively under Trump's second term—until now.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
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Restaurants were closed, staff were furloughed, and the broad outlook on the hospitality industry’s future was, in a word, bleak.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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Transformed into a swan by the evil sorcerer Rothbart, Odette and Siegfried's love faces an impossible battle against dark forces.—
Maggie Menderski,
The Courier-Journal,
22 July 2025
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The other dark money entity paying for ads that promote a candidate is 5Plus1, which has been spending oodles on billboards and campaign literature mailed to Detroiters that promote Sheffield, the city council president.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Horgan’s Eva Garvey is funny and nurturing and grounded but also quite lonely and bitter, a character whose love and bile hold Bad Sisters together.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
15 July 2025
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Even the psychological pain can be hard to fathom, especially for those who have never truly been lonely.—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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For women, the situation is even more depressing with 90% of women excluded from the workforce, unable to work outside their homes.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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And blame can be depressing; accepting responsibility for something that went terribly wrong is often painful and embarrassing.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Padam and Tulsi, whose remote Himalayan village has become increasingly desolate as families migrate to cities, leaving the pair to wonder who will perform their last rites.—
Variety Staff,
Variety,
25 July 2025
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Imagine how desolate the Democrats are that a Democrat running on affordability is an anti-establishment Democrat.—
Ted Reed,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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The show also has some critics, including viewers who accuse it of being overly morbid.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
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Recognizing the attraction people have to scary films, the band hit on the novel idea to translate the morbid thrill of Grand Guignol to rock ‘n roll.—
Jim Farber,
Billboard,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Saturnine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturnine. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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