melancholia

noun

Definition of melancholianext
as in melancholy

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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 melancholia His story is sad and beautiful; as always, Only Murders cuts the melancholia with flashes of genuine warmth. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025 Their melancholia was the uncertainty inherent in a time of enormous change. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 28 July 2025 Her husband apparently suffers from melancholia and has been confined to an asylum for many years, so don’t expect a Save the Date to land in your mailbox anytime soon. — Andy Swift, TVLine, 13 July 2025 Trousdale’s songs adroitly address female empowerment, loss, heartbreak, anxiety, mental health and other subjects while striking a winning balance between melancholia and buoyancy. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for melancholia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholia
  1. melancholy
  2. sadness
  3. self-pity
  4. unhappiness
  5. mournfulness
  6. gloominess
  7. dejection
  8. sorrow
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Her sadness and traumatic experiences, such as the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing and the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller in 2018, have become intertwined with her career.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 31 July 2026
  • Compared to individual contributors, leaders were substantially more likely–by seven percentage points–to report experiencing a lot of stress, anger (+12 points), sadness (+11 points) and loneliness (+10 points) the previous day.
    — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Rather than being riled into playing at a higher level, Spain sunk into self-pity mode.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Every setback was met with more determination instead of self-pity.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
Definition of self-pity
Noun
  • There is more potential this month for unhappiness to reach you in this way.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
  • Fortunately, there was always a healthy level of unhappiness with progress that has brought us to the doorstep of AI, where the possibilities can become limitless.
    — Anisha Manvatkar, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of unhappiness
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness
Noun
  • Colors are accurate and saturated, doing justice to the bright vibrance of Frieren on Crunchyroll on my iPad Air and the dark gloominess of Ball x Pit on my Switch 2 via an adapter.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
  • His gloominess seemed to make no sense.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of gloominess
Noun
  • This has been one of Norway’s great months and reaching the end of the line was as much cause for pride as dejection across the capital.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Four years later, there’s not a hint of complacency or dejection in France.
    — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 4 July 2026
Definition of dejection
Noun
  • Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life.
    — Riaz Khan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • President and prime minister offer condolences Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorrow

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Cite this Entry

“Melancholia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholia. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on melancholia

Nglish: Translation of melancholia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melancholia

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