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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of melancholy
Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Early Years Eichenberg recounted his childhood with some melancholy.
—Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 27 May 2026
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
Fanning’s name was the first called when nominations were announced, signaling that Scandinavian melancholy would be notably absent that morning.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
As Jaques, the melancholy loner, Jamie wore a long black duster and a black cowboy hat.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Early Years Eichenberg recounted his childhood with some melancholy.
—Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 27 May 2026
Noun
This is not to say the play is 95 minutes of melancholy.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
Fanning’s name was the first called when nominations were announced, signaling that Scandinavian melancholy would be notably absent that morning.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
-
The sad thing for me is that, as a young actor, there was a platform for small independent films that were interesting.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
Someone said an ending can be both happy and sad at the same time, which is surely correct.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Barry follows a depressed ex‑Marine hitman (Hader, in the title role) who turns to acting for salvation while tangling with the Chechen mob in Los Angeles.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2026
-
Epstein seemed to feel increasingly depressed about the conditions of his incarceration.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Regardless of one’s position, a decision about downtown’s historic core deserves thoughtful public discussion.—
Sarah M. Boye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
General Daily Insight for June 14, 2026 Fresh pages wait for thoughtful words tonight.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
His profound sadness and rage give the audience permission to feel similarly.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
-
The Spurs accrued a 10-point lead at that point, blitzing the Knicks with the type of pressure expected from a team that was a loss away from an offseason filled with sadness.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
After watching and enjoying the film, a somewhat depressing thought leaped into my mind.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
After a depressing four-year hiatus, Bus Palladium has been transformed into a 35-room luxury hotel with a bar, restaurant, and club by building owner Christian Casmèze and hotelier Nicolas Saltiel, with architecture and interiors by the design firm Studio KO.—
Alexander Lobrano,
Air Mail,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The European Commission froze billions of euros in funds for Hungary in response to democratic backsliding led by Orbán, and concern lingers about the damage that can be done when one unhappy government insists on wielding its veto.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
Social media is making children unhappy and is designed to be addictive, Starmer said at a press conference.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Below it, the floor-length skirt consisted of a dense curtain of long reflective strands.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
13 June 2026
-
Former Blue Jays catching prospect Phil Clarke announced his retirement from professional baseball on Wednesday, sharing a reflective message about the circumstances that led to his decision after spending years working his way through Toronto's minor league system.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
His high point will be long forgotten, disastrously undone by his successor to plunge the world into recession, if not depression.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
-
Tasks can include smelling dangerously high or low glucose levels, smelling mood swings, anxiety and depression, smelling an impending seizure and many other tasks.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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