saturnine

adjective

ˈsa-tər-ˌnīn How to pronounce saturnine (audio)
Definition of saturninenext
as in somber
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

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
  1. somber
  2. depressive
  3. bleak
  4. dark
  5. lonely
  6. depressing
  7. desolate
  8. morbid
Adjective
  • There's an eclectic mix of jazz, big sweeping orchestral pieces, high energy electric guitars, and quiet, somber piano tunes.
    — Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • President Donald Trump is set to address the annual White House Easter Egg Roll hours after the death of Pope Francis, making for a somber backdrop for the light-hearted, kid-friendly affair.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • More precisely, there was a 60 percent reduction in depressive symptoms, with more than half of the participants exhibiting total remission.
    — John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Alongside other treatments, inositol supplements may help with depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder.
    — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • The observations from Drewry’s and Moody’s, as well as the scenario floated by McCown, follow a bleak outlook for the middle of May out of the biggest port in the U.S.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Apr. 2025
  • That followed a desperate period in which a bleak financial picture forced the resignation of CEO Anders Jensen.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • This Georgia Rain style has a dark brown finish with distressing and burnishing for an antique appearance.
    — Ali Faccenda, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The bigger screen sizes each sit on two flat, narrow feet that are dark gray metal.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Community service for an increasingly lonely, isolated society?
    — Nate Rogers, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • According to recent Gallup data, approximately 20% of U.S. adults report feeling lonely every day.
    — Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • This Sunday’s finale marks the end of a bizarre, depressing, and sometimes extremely funny show about a family like none other.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2025
  • That’s been really fascinating and depressing and dispiriting to see.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • How To Solve Today’s Wordle The Hint: A morbid tune.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Karsh believes his morbid invention will allow people to maintain a meaningful relationship with the bodies of their life partners, even in death.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of morbid

Browse Nearby Words

saturnalias
saturnine
satyr
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Cite this Entry

“Saturnine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturnine. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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