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

Yom Kippur, which is coming on Monday, is the most solemn time on the Jewish calendar, is a day of introspection, self-examination, self-evaluation, and self-reflection.

— Marc Schneier, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
The night, centered on the foundation’s ongoing push to fund a cure and support those stigmatized by their HIV status, didn’t end on that solemn note.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of solemn

Adjective

Beaches emptied out and dark clouds swirled above choppy seas, while Mexican authorities temporarily suspended classes in a number of areas on Tuesday.

— DESIREE BROOKS, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Set against these dark parts of the educational system, Lee convincingly casts hagwons as third spaces that advance the hopes of an entire community.

— Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 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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elegiac

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“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of elegiac

adjective

noun

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