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
Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Jude Law’s Captain Hook becomes a more melancholy character thanks to revelations that tie his past to Peter’s, and his villain rehabilitation is more effective than certain flashier Disney efforts in that area.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
A.o. Scott, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The actor infuses this unusual father figure with an overprotective streak and a sense of melancholy to match a patchwork body born from parental abuse.
5.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
In Andrews’s adaptation and staging, Ranevskaya (Nina Hoss, all melancholy grace and understated charisma) feels more like a part of a true ensemble.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Jude Law’s Captain Hook becomes a more melancholy character thanks to revelations that tie his past to Peter’s, and his villain rehabilitation is more effective than certain flashier Disney efforts in that area.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
The poem concludes with an impulsive act of generosity that carries a hint of melancholy.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The actor infuses this unusual father figure with an overprotective streak and a sense of melancholy to match a patchwork body born from parental abuse.
5.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
For someone who prizes roadside Americana, this is the visual version of the sad trombone sound.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
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After the show, there's booze, girls, and hotel suites, but Abel's locked in the bathroom, being sad.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Never as rich as its aesthetics intimate, the U.S. met the nineties financially—and, therefore, spiritually—depressed.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
10 May 2025
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Though fun is a funny word to use considering Thunderbolts is all about depressed anti-heroes looking for a sense of purpose.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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Practice, Practice, Practice One of the ways that the greats prepare themselves for the biggest moments is through thoughtful preparation.—
Karl Moore,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
Tesfaye’s bold and electric presence onstage and onscreen is an intriguing counterpoint to the thoughtful and soft-spoken man who sits for a chat about his movie.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, Chernow devotes a hefty portion of his 1,039 pages (excluding notes) to Twain’s personal tribulations, a depressing series of bungles and calamities starting in the author’s middle age.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
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The lack of business on Sunday and Monday nights could be especially depressing.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Their presidential candidate, Erika Meza, a 25-year veteran teacher from the Southeast Side, is unhappy with what CTU has come to symbolize.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
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However, the Palestinians are unhappy with the speed of FIFA’s inquiries.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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The city of Alameda, Calif., halted an experiment to spray sea-salt particles skyward to make clouds more reflective.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
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In contrast, the new University of Illinois study lowered that to 1.2 grams, which is reflective of how much protein Americans tend to consume per day and is still 50% higher than the U.S. recommendations.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Advanced technologies, physical security, and an abundance of stuff [courtesy of highly advanced 3D printers] does nothing to stop a growing wave of loneliness and depression.—
G Kirilloff,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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For some people with mild depression, walking might even be as effective as some medications.6 High-intensity exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which can boost your mood following a workout.—
Jennifer Steinhoff,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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The slow, mournful piano chords capture the somber bite of the scene with remarkable punch yet also a sobering stillness, and that’s before the elegiac words carry the song off into the sky.—
Daniel Dylan Wray,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2025
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Wynette’s mournful lyrics about a partner who has left—will one protagonist leave the other during the game’s main campaign?—to the sound of lonely, sad acoustic country music is the flip side of Wang Chung’s carefree spirit.—
Brady Gerber,
Vulture,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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