as in depressive
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the men awaiting interrogation by the police shared a saturnine silence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of saturnine
The five-alarm fire currently stoked by Garrett Graham suggests that what women are really yearning for isn’t a brooding hockey stud with saturnine curls and complicated rage issues but a man who, at his core, seems to like and care about women.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
The movie is 40 years old now, and my perception is that more and more people have discovered it, have entered its heady realm of saturnine mystery.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
At the juncture between postwar noir and golden-age melodrama is Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, a saturnine elegy to a lost Hollywood of the silent era, when faces and charisma were more desirable than voices or talent.
—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
The movie is 40 years old now, and my perception is that more and more people have discovered it, have entered its heady realm of saturnine mystery.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
At the juncture between postwar noir and golden-age melodrama is Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, a saturnine elegy to a lost Hollywood of the silent era, when faces and charisma were more desirable than voices or talent.
—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saturnine
Adjective
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Research from the University of Delaware’s Department of Women and Gender Studies found that body image concerns resulting from social pressures are linked to lower self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating in young women.
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Research also suggests changes in brain chemistry involving neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine can cause depressive symptoms.
Adjective
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Houssem Aouar finally spied a gap in the Austrian defence and sent Mahrez through to score, sparking jubilation before Sasa Kalajdzic’s header confirmed a ridiculous ending to a game that was dramatic, bleak and then dramatic again.
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Kehoe pointed to the state’s bleak finances in a statement explaining his cuts on Tuesday.
Adjective
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Instead, Alfonzo’s first appearance, the culmination of nine tireless years, was somber , stricken by the grief overshadowing what should’ve been a joyous moment in the Dodgers’ to the Padres.
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Flying straight from the merry Riverlands into the somber halls of Dragonstone is one hell of a comedown, but Daemon never struggles to access his dark side.
Adjective
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The top-of-the-line chef’s kitchen sports metallic cabinetry paired with dark marble countertops and backsplashes.
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These include rolled or folded leaf blades, a dark or blue tinge to the foliage, or lingering footprints after walking on the lawn.
Adjective
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His lonely life away from friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) included sleeping under the stairs.
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Thrown into the thick of a ballet season, the dancer explained that there wasn’t time to be lonely.
Adjective
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What a depressing, disturbing waste, no matter the final verdict.
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After watching and enjoying the film, a somewhat depressing thought leaped into my mind.
Adjective
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Ureña, a 22-year-old right-hander who has emerged as another potential ace, speaks of Soriano with a giddy amusement mixed with a solemn respect for how the starter has survived in the big leagues.
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Dozens of firefighters lined the street in a solemn salute to their fallen colleagues.
Adjective
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Walking around the tiny outpost offers an understanding of just how vast and desolate this arid part of the country can be.
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In the summer it had been packed with people out on the streets, by the fall is was desolate.
Cite this Entry
“Saturnine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturnine. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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