elegiac 1 of 2

adjective

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək How to pronounce elegiac (audio)
variants also elegiacal
Definition of elegiacnext
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 novel thus proceeds in two registers, at once mysterious and elegiac. — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 An elegiac poem by Walt Whitman was published in newspapers around the country in July 1876. — New York Times, 28 June 2026
Noun
The performance — mordant, droll, elegiac — is a big-screen apogee for Malkovich. — ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026 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
  1. somber
  2. elegy
  3. bleak
  4. dirge
  5. solemn
  6. depressing
  7. dark
  8. depressive
Adjective
  • Over the decades, Rockwell tried his hand at a mix of projects—somber indies like sci-fi drama Moon (2009), studio awards contenders including The Green Mile (1999), and mainstream fare like Iron Man 2 (2010).
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s series goes in a more somber, ruminative direction in the back half of the eight new episodes premiering today on Netflix, balancing the season’s entertaining yet repetitive early episodes.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of somber
Noun
  • The result was a tapestry of bizarro folk elegies whose combination of violin, slide guitar, and the occasional lovestruck lyric sounded like tuning into AM radio in the midst of the apocalypse.
    — Henry Ivry, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Black style passes through Gershwin and out into Nina Simone’s famous take and Bill Evans’s imperishable version, where the blues is filtered through Erik Satie’s minimalism to become a haunted, achingly beautiful elegy.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of elegy
Adjective
  • His isolated existence is bleak, especially for such a bighearted person naturally inclined to love others.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But in a bleak indicator of the current political climate, the bait was inflammatory content about Muslims.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of bleak
Noun
  • Cue the depressing rain, dark trench coats, and a dire dystopian dirge because the Blade Runner 2099 trailer is here!
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of dirge
Adjective
  • The ceremony, held at the Kendall District Station, included a solemn tribute from the color guard and remarks from Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
    — Camila Fernandez, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Last January, he was inducted into the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in Paris during a solemn ceremony at the Institut de France.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • The Ruhr Valley, in contrast, might be Europe’s vastest, most depressing suburb.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The Mongolian restaurant is in the city center, dingy and depressing.
    — Aube Rey Lescure, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • The refreshing under-eye treatments are formulated to smooth, firm, and brighten crow’s feet and dark circles.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The helmet uses a carbon-fiber shell to help control weight and comes supplied with clear and dark visors, as well as a Pinlock anti-fog insert.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • And more than a third of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women worldwide report depressive symptoms.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Sleep disturbances are common in depression, and night owls (who tend to get less sleep than early birds) are likely to have more and worse depressive symptoms.
    — Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressive

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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