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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
they were a bit melancholy after their youngest child left for college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
the bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for melancholy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 melancholy
Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Cookie cravings, a tinge of melancholy, and the urge to hibernate and fix your life all at once.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025
Veloso’s own work in Train Dreams skilfully uses the terrain to symbolize the melancholy of Grainier’s life.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
The characters embody universal human emotions like melancholy, vulnerability and solidarity.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Cookie cravings, a tinge of melancholy, and the urge to hibernate and fix your life all at once.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
The poster presents Advani set against a circus backdrop, balancing glamorous aesthetics with underlying emotional depth that suggests grief and melancholy beneath the surface spectacle.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025
Veloso’s own work in Train Dreams skilfully uses the terrain to symbolize the melancholy of Grainier’s life.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
Grifters can be analyzed by affect (jolly, cold, angry, greedy, sad) and/or by gender.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There are no more smiles and no more hand-holding, only two sad adults.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Aside from the loneliness, Rowland says day-after-day stuck inside has left her depressed and fearing the worst.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The first episode largely focuses on the male perspective through the eyes of the angry, lonely, and depressed Jeremy (Jaquel Spivey).—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some parents carefully vetted and chose thoughtful names to add to the birth certificate, while others undoubtedly may have selected them on a whim or as a result of losing a bet.—
Cooper Worth,
Des Moines Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Soft, breathable materials and thoughtful construction have made the silhouette way more wearable, offering a happy medium between your comfiest sneakers and your dressiest pumps.—
Nina Derwin,
Glamour,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Across countries, sadness, anger, loneliness and despair are at the highest levels recorded in decades.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The mood in the crowd was widespread anger and sadness — recalling the same outpouring of wrath and grief that shook the city after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in 2020, although without the widespread violent protests then.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone’s unhappiness was so depressing, their eternal discontent!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Thwarted and truncated directorial careers are among the depressing glories of the art of movies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Domingo Morel, a professor at New York University who studies state takeovers of local schools, said most local residents wind up unhappy with the methods used by state interventionists and the results.—
Bri Hatch,
Chalkbeat,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Audrey, the single and childless and PhD-less product of a stable but unhappy home, has fallen short of the life planned out for her by her parents.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of making the Super Bowl also made Dobbs feel reflective.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Zar described the reopening as both joyful and reflective, acknowledging the emotional weight carried by families who lived through evacuation, loss, and uncertainty.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And while medications and therapy are important tools, Fabiano says exercise is recognized as a preferred treatment for depression.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The country legend struggled with her mental health and suffered from suicidal depression.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
