variants
also elegiacal
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the sight of an old ruined church or castle can be a pleasantly elegiac experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elegiac
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
McGuane’s style grew less frantic, more habitually elegiac.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elegiac
Adjective
The doctor himself is characterized sometimes by boisterously chattering lines, sometimes by semi-Wagnerian bombast; at the end, his music turns elegiac, implicitly undercutting his dreams of beginning anew.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
McGuane’s style grew less frantic, more habitually elegiac.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
Works of art have particular shapes (three-minute pop songs, three-act plays) and particular moods and tones (comic, tragic, romantic, elegiac).
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elegiac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegiac
Adjective
-
The mood was somber, glowing, and peaceful.—
Ed Bok Lee,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The city is home to Museum Island – a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring five world-class museums – and to historical sites like the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust Museum, which are somber yet must-visit places.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Iran’s internet connectivity has been partially restored, but experts are warning that, even on the other side of the digital blackout, the outlook for Iranian internet access remains bleak.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The same brush painted the bleak picture for both schools.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Plus an elegy for Breonna Taylor, featuring cellist Jeffrey Zeigler.—
Britt Julious,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
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These books can be read as comedies of cognitive dissonance or as melancholy elegies for the very possibility of closure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The announcements were made during a solemn session marking the opening of the 2026 judicial year at the Supreme Court of Justice, at an official ceremony closed to the media.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
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Members of the British royal family traditionally take part in a number of solemn events to honor their sacrifices.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Regardless, the hot-button topic of immigration enforcement taps into emotions and fear, said Daniel Lawrence, an associate professor at University of Wisconsin-Superior and a digital media theorist.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Or those such as in Flint, Michigan, who have long suffered from lead pipe contamination and harbor a deep distrust for what comes out of their taps.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Winter can be gloomy, dreary, and depressing.—
Kari Leibowitz,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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Suggesting that Hallam was trying to make a name for himself was a depressing line for Guardiola to attack.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The temperature plunges; Reilly’s trills harden into an Old World dirge.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
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Swedish singer-composer Anna von Hausswolff, whose cathedral melodies, intense vocals and doom-laden dirges share much in common with Nordic heavy-metal culture, specializes in mystery and grandiosity.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In a world that can feel increasingly dark and divided, this film reminds us all that everyone, everywhere deserves love.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
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Ava Phillippe tapped into the Ralph Lauren aesthetic with rugged dark wash shirt and jeans, pulled together with worn-in brown leather accessories and jacket.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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