ELEGY Synonyms: 11 Similar and Opposite Words

elegy

noun

ˈe-lə-jē

Definition of elegy

as in lament

a composition expressing one's grief over a loss "O Captain! My Captain!" is Walt Whitman's elegy on the death of President Lincoln

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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 elegy Kim Kardashian shared her own elegy for MJ a few hours after her mom on Instagram. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026 The touchstones are plentiful—Harmonia’s cyclical drift, Alice Coltrane’s stargazing elegies, gamelan’s hypnotic shimmer—but the song is strange and unpredictable. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026 This isn’t just an elegy for a lost boy, but also a way for McElwee to put his own career into the larger context of his life. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026 Not long after, his elegy was answered, as neotraditional sounds have made a big comeback on country radio, led by artists like Zach Top and Midland. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for elegy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegy

Noun

The child studying English was met with loving lament, while the one pursuing computer science at Stanford University was the flag post of family pride.

— Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Prompted by Nan’s lament about their father’s empty casket and his own desire for posthumous reconciliation, Jay sets out to find his dad’s underwater remains near the edge of the canyon at Monastery Beach.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of lament

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

Noun

Family and community gather for a worship service and a requiem, a special service of prayers for the deceased, traditionally followed by prayers at the grave site.

— Shushan Karapetian, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
The objectors' subsequent ululation echoed a requiem for a fallen hero--all over a time shift that accessing the PBS app avoids entirely.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of requiem

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elegizing

elegy

element

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Style

“Elegy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegy. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of elegy

noun

Example Sentences

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