old-fashioned + literary
: a sad mood or feeling
suffering from melancholy
a time of melancholy
: feeling or showing sadness : very unhappy
She was in a melancholy mood.
He became quiet and melancholy as the hours slowly passed.
melancholy [=sad, depressing] music/thoughts
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/melancholy. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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