as in sad
feeling unhappiness
she becomes quite melancholic when she reflects on all the lost opportunities of her life
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Recent Examples of melancholic
Nothing impacting them adjusts the stakes in a way that is inappropriately melancholic or melodramatic.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
That’s good, because ALL MONSTERS’ lyrics are dense with surreal, melancholic humor, informed by Haas’ experiences with ADHD and autism and their trans identity.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
By the fifth song, the album turns melancholic.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
There’s a wry grace to this misadventure-palooza, forged in the key of melancholic mid-career Woody Allen but with variations on those themes which achieve their own pointedly funny clarity, especially where Ubeimar Rios’ all-time portrayal of a sad sack is concerned.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for melancholic
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
That’s good, because ALL MONSTERS’ lyrics are dense with surreal, melancholic humor, informed by Haas’ experiences with ADHD and autism and their trans identity.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
By the fifth song, the album turns melancholic.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
There’s a wry grace to this misadventure-palooza, forged in the key of melancholic mid-career Woody Allen but with variations on those themes which achieve their own pointedly funny clarity, especially where Ubeimar Rios’ all-time portrayal of a sad sack is concerned.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for melancholic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholic
Adjective
-
There were enough people in the room who were sad about the kid.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And that’s really sad, because the latest gen is a genuinely fantastic car.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Auriemma was apparently unhappy with the officiating in the game and the disparity in free throw shooting.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the changes, some in the Senate were still unhappy with the final iteration.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, talking about softball made her … kind of melancholy.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The faces of Al Pacino and John Cazale are unmistakable — Pacino’s eyelashes, Cazale’s tundra of a forehead, their little-boyishness in close-up, the anxiety and melancholy in their eyes.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Jesse O’Hara, said his clients were distraught and heartbroken over the treatment of their baby.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fayez Dakkak, a third-generation Muslim storeowner in the Old City whose shop has catered to Christian pilgrims since 1942, said he was heartbroken over Al Aqsa's closure during the Islamic holy month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wagler led the Illini with 20 points, but Illinois shot a miserable 34% (19 of 56) from the field and 23% (6 of 26) from 3-point range.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Porter Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal in the NHL to put the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Then, in the Andante movement, the upper strings opened with a glassy sound before the mournful line of the cello entered.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Over the years, humpback whale songs have been recorded for human listening, with many describing the songs as having a haunting, mournful quality.—
Patrick Whittle,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Gas and diesel prices have soared since the start of the Iran war, but the situation could get even worse later this year because of ethanol requirements and problems with fertilizer supply chains.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Flattening the curve—making bad floods somewhat less bad—feels achievable.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melancholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholic. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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