melancholy 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of melancholynext
1
as in sad
causing unhappiness the melancholy thought of having to say good-bye to all the friends he had made over the summer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness they were a bit melancholy after their youngest child left for college

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3
as in thoughtful
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking a melancholy period in the artist's life that is reflected in his work

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melancholy

2 of 2

noun

ˈme-lən-ˌkä-lē How to pronounce melancholy (audio)
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits the bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for 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 melancholy
Adjective
The contrasts between the two tales are never drastic; the gradations are sometimes as fine as those between warm and cool melancholy. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Mackenzie Crook’s meditative and melancholy comedy is about a man whose life has been on pause since his girlfriend’s disappearance, leading him to use alchemy to get answers. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026 Lines that seem artlessly off-the-cuff on first pass accrue an unexpected weight and purpose the fourth time through; the countrified guitar lick that sounds so chipper at the start of a song is dripping with melancholy by the end. — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
  1. sad
  2. depressed
  3. thoughtful
  4. sadness
  5. depressing
  6. unhappy
  7. reflective
  8. depression
Adjective
  • State Drive, an ugly black roadway, separates the Science Center and its new addition from the park’s Rose Garden, and serves as a sad connector to the rest of the park.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • As more details came out, the sad truth of Perry’s relapses and drug hustle emerged.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • Celebrated as masterpieces today, at the time they were regarded as the unpolished works of a depressed, crazy man and commercially worthless.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In the event of a severe winter or import bottlenecks, depressed storage levels not only narrow Europe's capacity to absorb supply shocks but also risk driving natural gas prices higher.
    — , CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Amenities and experiences Dublin’s literary heritage, inspired by the likes of Oscar Wilde, seeps through the walls of The Wilder Townhouse and is reflected in thoughtful details throughout the entire experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Eddie Pepperell, among the most thoughtful players, missed the cut last week in South Korea and wound up one spot out of a full European tour card for 2027.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
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
Adjective
  • Maybe the most vivid reminder was what happened after a similarly depressing defeat in 2021 in the last game in which Mahomes played and the Chiefs managed only a field goal.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In another depressing week for the UK’s public broadcaster, there were more cuts, talk of even more cuts and programs scrapped, as the BBC’s desperate bid to make the books work continues under former Google EMEA chief Matt Brittin.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Many of the women in the packed courtroom gallery appeared unhappy when the sentences were rendered.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Andy’s view Almost 14 years into Xi Jinping’s norm-busting reign, just about everybody is unhappy with his economy.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • If a dog does come trick-or-treating, he or she should be kept on a short leash and outfitted in some reflective gear, and owners should be aware of their surroundings.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Photographed by Mert Alas, the campaign captures Shayk in the warmth of golden hour, illuminated by reflective light.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of reflective
Noun
  • By contrast, Alzheimer’s disease typically is associated with memory and language loss, and is more associated with apathy and depression than with anxiety.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The authors note that high-functioning depression is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, the manual clinicians use to diagnose mental health conditions.
    — Allison Aubrey, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of depression

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melancholic
melancholy
mélange
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Cite this Entry

“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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