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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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of melancholy
Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
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
Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
The portrait of the melancholy Dane himself lacks gravitas, alas, which undercuts the existential power of the play.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
In Andrews’s adaptation and staging, Ranevskaya (Nina Hoss, all melancholy grace and understated charisma) feels more like a part of a true ensemble.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
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
Noun
His casual delivery belies the melancholy lurking beneath his family pride.
55.
—Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
The portrait of the melancholy Dane himself lacks gravitas, alas, which undercuts the existential power of the play.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
After the show, there's booze, girls, and hotel suites, but Abel's locked in the bathroom, being sad.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
15 May 2025
-
For someone who prizes roadside Americana, this is the visual version of the sad trombone sound.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
Never as rich as its aesthetics intimate, the U.S. met the nineties financially—and, therefore, spiritually—depressed.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
10 May 2025
-
Though fun is a funny word to use considering Thunderbolts is all about depressed anti-heroes looking for a sense of purpose.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
For all its thoughtful flourishes, a meal at Kabawa feels easygoing and joyous.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
-
The experience reflects the same thoughtful curation found throughout one of Waikiki’s most exclusive boutique hotels, where nine residential-style suites, each an entire floor with private elevator access, redefine oceanfront luxury.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, Chernow devotes a hefty portion of his 1,039 pages (excluding notes) to Twain’s personal tribulations, a depressing series of bungles and calamities starting in the author’s middle age.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
-
The lack of business on Sunday and Monday nights could be especially depressing.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Kraft had strong leads among some voting groups polled, the poll showed, including Republicans, voters who disapprove of Boston’s sanctuary city status, those unhappy with Boston’s quality of life, and those prioritizing government spending/taxes.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2025
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Sonya can be competitive about who is more unhappy.—
Jason Zinoman,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Game actress shared a reflective message about her daughter’s growth leading up to Cairo’s birthday.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
7 May 2025
-
Our testers only saw the price after testing to determine whether the price was reflective of the potting bench’s value and features.—
Megan Newton,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 May 2025
Noun
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For some people with mild depression, walking might even be as effective as some medications.6 High-intensity exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which can boost your mood following a workout.—
Jennifer Steinhoff,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2025
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Advanced technologies, physical security, and an abundance of stuff [courtesy of highly advanced 3D printers] does nothing to stop a growing wave of loneliness and depression.—
G Kirilloff,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
That consistency was perhaps why, despite the Warriors’ stunning Game 1 win, the tone of their postgame interviews was at times mournful rather than celebratory.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
7 May 2025
-
One aspect is the story that is told, which is a very mournful story of a mother losing a child and then abandoning herself to the river as the child was.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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