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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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
Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Yeva’s story gives the novel a melancholy moral center.
—Carole V. Bell, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
Gavin Edwards, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Lately, however, the scruffy poet laureate of middle-aged melancholy has never been happier or more prolific, coming off a post-pandemic hot streak that saw the release of multiple National albums and now, his second release under his own name following 2020’s Serpentine Prison.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
The only one who seems to understand, even obliquely, is a melancholy prostitute Herman befriends named Margo.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Yeva’s story gives the novel a melancholy moral center.
—Carole V. Bell, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
Noun
Those Brian Wilson compositions all sounded like insanely catchy jingles for the California teenage lifestyle–surfboards, hamburger stands, pep rallies–but on the flip side of the good times was a real sense of melancholy.
—Gavin Edwards, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Lately, however, the scruffy poet laureate of middle-aged melancholy has never been happier or more prolific, coming off a post-pandemic hot streak that saw the release of multiple National albums and now, his second release under his own name following 2020’s Serpentine Prison.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
Two screenshots from the video showing Ollie was a sad facial expression.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
-
The building directly across the street stands in sad disrepair, its windows smashed, swathed in graffiti, a front garage door hangs half-open.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
What would Georgia wear in her most depressed state?—
Hedy Phillips,
People.com,
16 June 2025
-
That can put them on edge and heighten their separation anxiety, Langan said, and if their owners are depressed or grief-stricken about loss and uncertainty, the animals absorb those emotions too.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Several neighborhoods loosely inspire thoughtful craft cocktails—all clever, complex, and complimentary.—
Paul Rubio,
AFAR Media,
23 June 2025
-
His career consists of multitudes: the comedic if not brash hip-hop radio host forged by the shock-jock era, and the thoughtful political commentator, able to articulate what even his critics would describe as a pretty nuanced perspective on the world.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
And books about cancer don’t have to be depressing.—
Terry McDonell
June 11,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2025
-
That was a bit depressing, that first paintbrush touching your skin.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
The root of the fallout was the Who (and specifically Daltrey) being unhappy with Starkey’s performance when the band played a pair of Teenage Cancer Trust charity shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall in March.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
-
On Friday, Devers alluded to being unhappy with how the Red Sox treated him.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Trump’s recent attitude toward TV news is reflective of that of the rest of the country, though millions are still watching Fox News.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Xi was tougher than most, but his behavior was still reflective of the context of the times.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
For some, symptoms stabilize or improve, especially if caused by treatable issues like depression or medication side effects.—
Nawab John Dar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2025
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Spending time with a therapy dog can also reduce anxiety, loneliness and depression, while increasing the patient's socialization.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Unlike most of his hardcore predecessors, Yates has a knack for mournful melodies, and a voice that may remind some older listeners of Perry Farrell, from Jane’s Addiction.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
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Now comes their follow-up, with a soundalike title, but quite a different mood—more mournful, more anguished, more serious.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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