melancholia

noun

Definition of melancholianext
as in melancholy

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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 melancholia The best thing to fight off early sunset melancholia is to try to get outside at dusk, even for a few minutes. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025 It was used to treat melancholia and, of course, hangovers, presumably due to its high caffeine content. — Aleksandra Crapanzano, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025 His story is sad and beautiful; as always, Only Murders cuts the melancholia with flashes of genuine warmth. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025 Their melancholia was the uncertainty inherent in a time of enormous change. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for melancholia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholia
  1. melancholy
  2. sadness
  3. self-pity
  4. unhappiness
  5. mournfulness
  6. gloominess
  7. dejection
  8. sorrow
Noun
  • The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Tsai, the Stanford professor, has conducted research on how emotion in American culture puts value on trying to always feel positive and minimizing negativity and sadness.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Survey findings About 28% of Gaston respondents reported moderate or higher levels of negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger or boredom, compared with roughly 10% in Union, Venkitasubramanian said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Naaman Zhou was in the crowd, and reports on an odd night of self-pity.
    — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than being riled into playing at a higher level, Spain sunk into self-pity mode.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of self-pity
Noun
  • With these blue collar parents’ grade-school-age son a tangibly quiet presence, a seemingly impassable unhappiness oozes from the opening scenes.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhappiness
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness
Noun
  • Colors are accurate and saturated, doing justice to the bright vibrance of Frieren on Crunchyroll on my iPad Air and the dark gloominess of Ball x Pit on my Switch 2 via an adapter.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
  • His gloominess seemed to make no sense.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of gloominess
Noun
  • In the space of a few paragraphs, Ned will abandon and recover his child, bungle an extramarital affair, win and lose, experience ecstasy and dejection.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Miller’s hands dropped quickly to his side in frustrated dejection.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dejection
Noun
  • But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Crystal’s deep and profound sorrow at the loss of his director and friend Rob Reiner, not to mention Robin WIlliams, are very much present in the show.
    — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sorrow

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Cite this Entry

“Melancholia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholia. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on melancholia

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melancholia

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