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
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Recent Examples of melancholy
Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Also emotional, sometimes spirited, and other times melancholy are the songs, which Cotillard lip-synced.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 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
But for Bo Chen, senior research fellow from the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute, this sense of melancholy forms only part of the story.
—Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Also emotional, sometimes spirited, and other times melancholy are the songs, which Cotillard lip-synced.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
The story, of course, has a deep vein of sadness and melancholy running through it.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 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
-
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
-
Wisdom, compassion, and thoughtful policy are necessary over the question of transgenderism more generally.—
Lisa Frizell,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to having more time to craft thoughtful responses, this also gives you more time to, well, live your life!—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Curtis revealed that Annie, who welcomed her baby boy with husband Jason Wolf in December, was able to take the grief and sadness of losing her godparents and birth as a new beginning.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
-
There will be deaths, of characters as well as relationships, but McInerney’s always-sharp insights on social strata and human nature guarantee that in the midst of sadness we are also entertained.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Knicks went on to defeat the tanking, depleted Grizzlies handily, a 130-119 win good enough to snap a depressing three-game losing streak against the Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Far from a depressing gray room located in a basement, The Bridge and its massive windows put a spotlight on the natural beauty of Hong Kong.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 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
-
Her portrayals – reflective of real people – will live on in television history for their honesty, wit and charm.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Both will be surrounded by streaks of bright, reflective material that were cast out during the violent asteroid impacts that formed the craters.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This sharp satire of the entertainment industry tackles serious issues like addiction and depression while never skimping on the jokes.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In 2024, Ryyan was diagnosed with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.—
Kennedy Cook,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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