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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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
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Recent Examples of melancholy
Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Yes, Bridget is back — and in a more melancholy offering than the previous three installments.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2025
Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
Frank describes indulging with all ages and body types before the excitement began to fade and a kind of melancholy set in.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
Jude Law’s Captain Hook becomes a more melancholy character thanks to revelations that tie his past to Peter’s, and his villain rehabilitation is more effective than certain flashier Disney efforts in that area.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Yes, Bridget is back — and in a more melancholy offering than the previous three installments.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
Like with the best of Linklater’s films, often set over a short and defined time span, Lund wanted to capture the sense of time passing, and the wistful melancholy that comes with it.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
Frank describes indulging with all ages and body types before the excitement began to fade and a kind of melancholy set in.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
Rachel Ng,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The detective here, blending a couple of characters from the book, is Inspector Leach, a depressed drinker so unkempt one wonders why he hasn’t been put on administrative leave.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
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To my dismay, the leader started feeling depressed rather than taking the actions that were most required.—
Sonal Jain,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The pair both showed up to their second date on the beach with thoughtful gifts and eventually shared their first kiss before Tyler met Madison's family.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
-
This is a complex matter requiring thoughtful consideration and a long-term perspective.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This Sunday’s finale marks the end of a bizarre, depressing, and sometimes extremely funny show about a family like none other.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2025
-
That’s been really fascinating and depressing and dispiriting to see.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The bumpy welcome was reflective of Mr. Bessent’s first few months in what might be the most difficult job in Washington.—
Alan Rappeport,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
-
The glass is highly reflective, and the screen simply doesn’t get bright enough to combat direct sunlight, making outdoor visibility a challenge.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Families who lose a loved one are prone to mental health deficits such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety, compounded by feelings of guilt, self-blame, shame, and condemnation, often resulting in social isolation.—
William Mullane,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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This number will go up, more children will struggle—depression, hunger and more parts of their lives will spiral out of control.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Season four will be the last for The Righteous Gemstones, and there are signs in this mournful (and vulgar/hilarious) episode that this extremely American empire may be going the way of Kelvin’s treehouse.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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