saturnalian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This novel’s density is saturnalian; its satire nimble; academics will tug at its themes, as if they were pinworms, for decades.

From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2022

“Funland” has a saturnalian organizing principle, and in this — no accident — it resembles the carnival, the amusement park or, in British terms, the fairgrounds.

From New York Times • Jun. 27, 2014

The spirit is that of the scherzo, and the main theme is the catchiest imaginable, the rhythm curious and irresistible, and the entire mood saturnalian.

From Contemporary American Composers Being a Study of the Music of This Country, Its Present Conditions and Its Future, with Critical Estimates and Biographies of the Principal Living Composers; and an Abundance of Portraits, Fac-simile Musical Autographs, and Compositions by Hughes, Rupert

Yes, there were gross elements: among the many recurring festivals, some were gross and saturnalian enough.

From The Crest-Wave of Evolution A Course of Lectures in History, Given to the Graduates' Class in the Raja-Yoga College, Point Loma, in the College-Year 1918-19 by Morris, Kenneth

At the end of every seven years comes the saturnalian season, when the freemen of great Britain may please themselves with the choice of their representatives.

From The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 06 Reviews, Political Tracts, and Lives of Eminent Persons by Johnson, Samuel