elegiac 1 of 2

adjective

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək How to pronounce elegiac (audio)
variants also elegiacal
Definition of elegiacnext
as in depressing
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elegiac

2 of 2

noun

as in monody

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elegiac
Adjective
But as Tanaka’s melodramatic and elegiac film shows us, beauty often comes from the most unexpected places. — Barry Levitt, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024 Many awards forecasters had the elegiac anthem pegged as a frontrunner for the Best Original Song award. — EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024 Part memoir, part reportage, Thompson’s book is not only an elegiac tribute to a child whose life was cut short too soon, but also a searing indictment of the system that enabled the lynching and the subsequent cover-up. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 Scorsese films are rarely elegiac, but Sheeran serves as not just an entry point into the mob but also a way to understand that there are no heroes — or anti-heroes — among this den of thieves. — Will Leitch, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for elegiac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegiac
  1. depressing
  2. depressive
  3. elegy
  4. morbid
  5. taps
  6. funereal
  7. dirge
  8. chill
Adjective
  • The truth is more depressing: This show is bad in the usual manner of reality television.
    — Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
  • That wasn’t even the most depressing of Vlasic’s quotes.
    — Scott Powers, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
  • There are four basic types of the disorder, which are characterized by periods of elation and hyper-activity known as manic episodes, which are then followed by depressive stages where the patient experiences feelings of sadness and depression.
    — Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of depressive
Noun
  • In fact, the opening moments play out like an elegy for the whole nation: a school boarded up, with empty corridors and empty classrooms.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
  • As photographed by Austin Shelton, the widescreen images — and even the vertical TikTok videos braided alongside — convey a hopeful vision of their future, more fresh start than elegy.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025
Definition of elegy
Adjective
  • The Pitt max Pushing Daisies Years: 2007-2009 Length: 2 seasons, 22 episodes Creator: Bryan Fuller The creator of Hannibal also gave us this twisted genre gem, a show that blended morbid humor and genuine character work into a mix that was just too weird for ABC.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
  • This is projection to an understandable but somewhat morbid degree.
    — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2025
Definition of morbid
Noun
  • This eatery at the summit of Cannon’s tramway offers cafeteria food, grab-and-go options, and, most notably, the highest-elevation beer taps in the state of New Hampshire.
    — Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024
  • This lack of resolution taps into the brain’s natural drive for cognitive closure, which according to 2014 study, is the innate desire to resolve ambiguity and make sense of unfinished experiences.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of taps
Adjective
  • Wheat roots and seeds from palms and barley found alongside the bodies offer glimpses of the agricultural history and funereal practices of the Sohag region.
    — Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Never mind that, by an accident of political timing, so many theater creatives as well as so much of the audience is feeling funereal.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of funereal
Noun
  • When the relatives begin to arrive, crawling in on their knees, droning a dirge about death, Shula promptly departs for a hotel, pink suitcase in tow.
    — Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2025
  • On the final night, one of the regulars hired a Scotsman in a kilt to play a bagpipe dirge.
    — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of dirge
Adjective
  • People are going to be very chill and normal, like the internet always is.
    — Kathleen Newman-Bremang, refinery29.com, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Canada’s been chill with legal weed since 2018, and Germany is heading there too.
    — Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of chill

Browse Nearby Words

elegantly
elegiac
elegiacs
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Elegiac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegiac. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on elegiac

Nglish: Translation of elegiac for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
kestrel
Name That Bird Quiz Are you as wise as an owl or just another birdbrain?
See All