1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
the melancholy thought of having to say good-bye to all the friends he had made over the summer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
they were a bit melancholy after their youngest child left for college
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3
as in thoughtful
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
a melancholy period in the artist's life that is reflected in his work
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as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
the bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for melancholy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of melancholy
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
The commercial, as many may recall, features a montage of animal clips set to the melancholy ballad.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 26 June 2025
Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
With melancholy and playfulness both, Seed threads in her own introspective voice-over and contemporary footage (poring over material, visiting her dad, sparring with a boyfriend).
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
In this evocative, melancholy tale, an Italian champion racer is tasked with driving a car from Italy into Russia.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
The commercial, as many may recall, features a montage of animal clips set to the melancholy ballad.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
That betrayal, like so many others, fed the melancholy in Brian's music.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
With melancholy and playfulness both, Seed threads in her own introspective voice-over and contemporary footage (poring over material, visiting her dad, sparring with a boyfriend).
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
That's the sad reality facing many dogs in the wider shelter system.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
-
Know that all feelings are OK Some kids might be very sad or might be scared, and some kids might not have thought about this at all.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Screenshot from a July 1 TikTok video of a depressed golden retriever waiting for her dog dad to return 1 1/2 years after a breakup.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
Despite these efforts, the advertiser exodus of 2023 meant that X’s ad revenue was quite depressed.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
While plaintiff opposition reflects legitimate concerns, these can be addressed with thoughtful defense strategies.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The memory foam interior supports your head from all angles, and it’s designed with thoughtful contouring at the back and sides of your neck.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
That this show could mark a turning point for free speech and the First Amendment is just too depressing to contemplate.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
2 July 2025
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But already there are major depressing effects on the ports and warehousing that are important contributors to California's economy.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
That's become a new line of attack for the Trump administration, which is already unhappy with the Fed for not moving more aggressively to lower interest rates.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
14 July 2025
-
Speculation is that Ferrari is unhappy with Vasseur's performance, although these rumors have been shut down by Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Yet much of the field focuses on people who are emotionally open and reflective – neglecting executives, who are often socialized to view themselves as purely rational decision-makers.—
Prince Sarpong,
The Conversation,
17 July 2025
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The smaller Kepler Crater will also be visible Both Copernicus and the smaller Kepler Crater to its left are surrounded by bright streaks of reflective material that were thrown out in the violent aftermath of their creation.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
This projection was so oft repeated in the media that many Americans, especially Democrats, believed a depression was imminent.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
13 July 2025
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Later that day, Barry made landfall near the city of Tampico, on Mexico’s east coast, and weakened to a tropical depression.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Once abundant on the island, this ground-foraging dove – with an earthy red-brown plumage and a quiet, mournful call – disappeared from the wild by 1972.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
Several of her patients left mournful messages on the Yelp page of her Arcadia practice.—
Clara Harter
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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