melancholic

adjective

mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌme-lən-ˈkä-lik 

1

: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed

2

: of or relating to melancholia

3

: tending to depress the spirits : saddening

melancholic noun

Synonyms of melancholic

• sad
• depressed
• unhappy
• melancholy
• heartbroken
• miserable
• mournful
• bad
• sorrowful
• sorry

Examples of melancholic in a Sentence

she becomes quite melancholic when she reflects on all the lost opportunities of her life

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the latter has one of the best bridges of the year, its undeniably melancholic and macabre nature is what put it out of contention. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

As a result, the towns left behind can gradually lose their energy and become quieter and more melancholic. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

There are melancholic elements, including human characters that can seem lost in their thoughts — impassive and detached from the world. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026

This is probably a race between Hacks and Widow’s Bay, but spare some support for Shrinking, TV’s best melancholic comedy. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English malencolic, melancolyk "consisting of or caused by black bile, irascible, gloomy," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French melancolique, borrowed from Latin melancholicus, borrowed from Greek melancholikós, from melancholía "black bile, melancholy entry 1" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for melancholic

• alcoholic
• anabolic
• apostolic
• catabolic
• cytosolic
• diabolic
• diastolic
• ethanolic
• hyperbolic
• metabolic
• methanolic
• parabolic

Medical Definition

melancholic

1 of 2 adjective

mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌmel-ən-ˈkäl-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed

2

: of or relating to melancholia

melancholic

2 of 2 noun

1

: a melancholy person

2

: melancholiac