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

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
  1. somber
  2. elegy
  3. bleak
  4. taps
  5. solemn
  6. dirge
  7. depressing
  8. dark
Adjective
  • For the past four decades, July was always a somber month for the McDonalds, a reminder of the moment that changed their family's lives.
    — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Less than two months after her historic victory to become Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae stood before a bank of microphones and opposition lawmakers, looking somber.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of somber
Noun
  • 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
  • What begins as a novel ostensibly about ‘cancel culture’ quickly shifts into a rueful elegy for a dying world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of elegy
Adjective
  • Eventually, a gun-free compromise was found, though the opening act of the movie would remain surprisingly bleak and emotionally complex.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Some of them are orphans or runaways, and so the environment is pretty bleak.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Noun
  • Sports bars and restaurants overflowed with customers who drank beer taps dry.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The measures intended to reduce water use across the area by at least 5-10% to make up for depleted water levels in the reservoirs that feed Charlotte taps.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of taps
Adjective
  • Both are powerful spots of natural beauty and deep cultural significance, but for a less solemn outing, the little islet of Ojima sits neatly between the two.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
  • After seeing corrupt cops rewarded with medals and politics debase his best friend, now the courts can’t even be trusted to perform their solemn duty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of solemn
Noun
  • Ashura processions are usually dramatic affairs, with chanters singing elegies or dirges dedicated to Hussein, while audience members beat their chests and engage in displays of mourning.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
  • This is the starting point of Earth 7, Deb Olin Unferth’s stellar and sweeping science fiction novel that is part cosmic comedy and part dirge to our dying world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of dirge
Adjective
  • The simple, rather depressing, and completely overwhelming fact of the matter is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe cannot be ignored, even as superhero fatigue has definitively set in at the global box office.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • The glow through the translucent stone façade prevents that journey from being downright depressing.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Their traditional decor centers around darker fabrics and pale wall coverings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark

Browse Nearby Words

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elegiac
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Cite this Entry

“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of elegiac for Spanish Speakers

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