ELEGIAC Synonyms: 125 Similar and Opposite Words

elegiac 1 of 2

adjective

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək

variants also elegiacal

Definition of elegiac

as in somber

causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the sight of an old ruined church or castle can be a pleasantly elegiac experience

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elegiac

2 of 2

noun

as in monody

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Example 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 elegiac

Adjective

The elegiac opening and closing chapters, in which Crowther imagines visiting Monroe’s home and scanning her shelves, also add to the feeling that too much is being extrapolated out of not enough information. — Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026 Roversi’s elegiac style was inspired by the Byzantine architecture and cultural backdrop of his hometown as well as the work of August Sander, Robert Frank and Diane Arbus. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 15 May 2026

Noun

There’s also something a little elegiac about it. — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elegiac

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegiac

Adjective

All parents struggle in some way to adjust to life as empty nesters, but Charlie leaves his mom and dad in a somber, reflective state that casts a heavy pall over an episode that drifts toward the turgid.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
The clubhouse was somewhat somber Friday afternoon, with players still feeling shaken up after witnessing one of the scariest collisions many had ever seen on a baseball field.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of somber

Noun

In some ways, Birthright is an elegy to the Jewish experience in America—a place where Israel has been centered as our refuge and rightful homeland for the last 76-odd years.

— Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
But that selflessness comes to feel like the point of this lingering, resonantly sad film — above all else, an elegy for lives unseen and unknown.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 July 2026

Definition of elegy

Adjective

Tonally, the film is torn between wanting to be brutally bleak and offering some kind of hope for Murphy and his precocious, adorable daughter.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Max was born in 1937 in Berlin to German-Jewish parents who fled the city from the occupation of Nazis in 1938 to Shanghai, where the artist discovered bright colors, a stark contrast from his parents’ bleak past.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of bleak

Noun

The film’s turning point is a tragedy during a fight arranged by Frankie, making its second half more of a dirge than a sports film.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 26 Aug. 2026
Nobody wants to be subjected to one more triggering, off-key note of an Edwin Díaz dirge.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of dirge

Adjective

For those seeking a solemn moment of reflection or a way to give back, here’s a guide to area events commemorating 9/11’s 25th anniversary, running from Wednesday through the weekend.

— The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2026
This year, Haitians are marching under more solemn circumstances than in prior years.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of solemn

Adjective

Floor-to-ceiling glass walls let a lot of light into the space, which is decorated in tones of gray, with dark wood herring bone floors in the bar.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.

— Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

Research has found that low serotonin levels could lead to the return of clinically significant depressive symptoms in people who have depression.

— Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2026
This dichotomy, between depressive routine and the spark of something exciting, or even irksome, both informs each relationship, and clarifies (for the viewer) Arash’s state of mind the more his reasons are revealed.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of depressive

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elegantly

elegiac

elegiacs

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Style

“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of elegiac

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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