Chekhovian

American  

[che-koh-vee-uhn, -kaw-fee-, -kof-ee-, chek-aw-fee-uhn, -of-ee-] / tʃɛˈkoʊ vi ən, -ˈkɔ fi-, -ˈkɒf i-, ˈtʃɛk ɔ fi ən, -ɒf i- /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Anton Chekhov or his writings, especially as they are evocative of a mood of introspection and frustration.

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Etymology

Origin of Chekhovian

First recorded in 1920–25; Chekhov + -ian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Chekhovian

The play is remarkable in its structure, which builds tension with Chekhovian grace and ferocity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

It’s a long work, nearly three hours, written in the Chekhovian realistic tradition and crammed with novelistic details that can’t be fully assimilated in one sitting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2024

“Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes,” an argumentative state-of-the-nation play with eccentrically drawn characters of Chekhovian complexity, represents the pinnacle of the playwright’s achievement in this genre.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2024

Even so, this exquisitely knowing, distinctly Chekhovian play about lies and illusions handed down as history still has the power to grab us.

From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024

O, the overwhelming depth of these simple, ordinary, very Chekhovian words!

From Reminiscences of Anton Chekhov by I. A. Bunin