Dickensian

/ dɪˈkɛnzɪən /

adjective

1. of Charles Dickens or his works
2. resembling or suggestive of conditions described in Dickens' novels, esp
   1. squalid and poverty-stricken

      working conditions were truly Dickensian

   2. characterized by jollity and conviviality

      a Dickensian scene round the Christmas tree

3. grotesquely comic, as some of the characters of Dickens

Example Sentences

He gained enemies along the way but also followers who cast him as a Dickensian hero willing to fight for the neediest.

From Los Angeles Times

They say some of them do not even make minimum wage, their work conditions are Dickensian and that they are overburdened by complaints from litigation-happy patients.

From New York Times

Quinn’s television credits include “Dickensian,” “Game of Thrones,” “Howards End” and “Catherine the Great.”

From Los Angeles Times

With the death of the wage-earning father, the family struggled in true 19th century Dickensian fashion.

From Los Angeles Times

Staff clearly loved creating dioramas of Dickensian delight with Department 56 buildings and figurines.

From Seattle Times