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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
they were a bit melancholy after their youngest child left for college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
the bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for melancholy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024
Their vocal blend was beautiful and really underscored the melancholy essence of the melody and lyrics.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024
Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024
The Cosmically Beautiful Sadness of SOPHIE’s Posthumous Album The producer’s absence lends a poignant melancholy to even the most upbeat tracks.
—James Factora, Them, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for melancholy 
Adjective
The podcast is a lot of things including happy moments, melancholy moments, and certainly awkward, confusing moments.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024
Their vocal blend was beautiful and really underscored the melancholy essence of the melody and lyrics.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
Lacking a better understanding of its causes, mental illness — from melancholy to murderous rages — was blamed on gods and demons.
—Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024
The Cosmically Beautiful Sadness of SOPHIE’s Posthumous Album The producer’s absence lends a poignant melancholy to even the most upbeat tracks.
—James Factora, Them, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
Maybe not the question to ask a Canadian, but could sad smoke breaks bring America together today?Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
-
One of Jones’ most famous productions stands as his top-selling title in this sad moment, but it’s not credited to him as an artist.Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
As Christina, the youngest of a trio of sisters, Olsen spends the film playing mediator between Natasha Lyonne’s depressed stoner, Rachel, and Carrie Coon’s domineering control freak, Katie.Rachel Handler, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
-
Some staffers pretended to call on behalf of a depressed relative.Max Blau, ProPublica, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Offering a thoughtful gesture or sharing something of value sets the stage for a balanced exchange.Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
-
During the interview, Nelly also expressed his love for the singer, praising her character and thoughtful nature.Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Loading your audio article The national election news was downright depressing for many in the Bay Area, but there was a lot of cause for celebration among local candidates Tuesday night.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
-
Dreadful game of the week: Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles — The Browns are just depressing, saddled with the debacle that is the acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose numbers are just dreadful.Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Instead of simply telling CEOs that employees are unhappy, provide hard evidence that points to why.Alena Botros, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Pickford grew up in a quiet, unhappy house near Richmond Park, in southwest London.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
For example, bullet journaling, reflective journaling, junk journaling, gratitude journaling and freewriting.Noma Nazish, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
-
That’s reflective of the current Pope Francis, who’s been largely commended for his liberal viewpoints.Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Musk has spoken openly in the past about his use of prescription Ketamine, an anesthetic that has gained interest from doctors and researchers for its potential to treat depression and anxiety.Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Plus, a wide body of research has shown that regular aerobic exercise can relieve stress and counter depression.Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
That undoubtedly contributes to the mournful feeling that has enveloped Númenor, which is still dealing with the death of King Tar-Palantir and the fallout of Mount Doom’s eruption, including Míriel’s loss of sight.Keith Phipps, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
-
Soon a mournful blue light would rise over the islands in the sea.Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near melancholy
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share