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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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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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
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Brass rang out during the first chorus as Beck and company picked up the pace following one of Sea Change’s more melancholy moments, striking a cinematic tone during an early instrumental section.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Brandon Taylor, Time, 17 July 2025
Louis Thuillier was distraught by his inability to know the plight of his subjects; to view the photographs from the distance of a century can imbue the viewer with a similar melancholy.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
The film is a series of character studies, quiet, observational and non-judgmental – a comedy, but interwoven with threads of melancholy.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Brass rang out during the first chorus as Beck and company picked up the pace following one of Sea Change’s more melancholy moments, striking a cinematic tone during an early instrumental section.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Advertisement The answering note to its prevailing ironic treatment of Sir Walter is of course the melancholy and hint of regret that suffuse much of the novel’s tone.
—Brandon Taylor, Time, 17 July 2025
Louis Thuillier was distraught by his inability to know the plight of his subjects; to view the photographs from the distance of a century can imbue the viewer with a similar melancholy.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
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But now, the King and the royal family have received very sad news that will change things going forward.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Shooting scenes in wide or medium shots that sometimes break into Hsiao-Lee’s harrowing point-of-view, cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin depicts a world without much color or hope, while sets by Huang Mei-Ching and Tu Shuo-Feng emphasize a sad and impoverished existence.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Unemployment has stayed relatively low in part because of dampened demand for workers as well as a depressed supply (people aging out of the workforce as well as reductions in immigrant workers).—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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This time producer Brad Ingelsby tapped Mark Ruffalo as a depressed and traumatized FBI agent leading a task force investigating a series of home invasions targeting drug dens in the area.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Told from the point of view of Ruffalo's lawman and the everyman (Tom Pelphry) who is surprisingly leading the robberies, the drama is seriously dark but also thoughtful and addictive.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The goal isn’t wholesale replacement of traditional investments but rather thoughtful inclusion to improve long-term outcomes.—
Rick Unser,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These movies commit to the dusty interior decoration and inherent sadness of their ghost stories, but have little feel for the profound interfamily dynamics therein.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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So many of Lee’s memories of her mother are tinged with sadness and grief.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Compelling, sure, but more depressing than funny.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
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The news is depressing, and now the Tribune is ignoring what is, for those who are not sports fans, their leading form of entertainment.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Both Ways on Netflix The Lovebirds In the 2020 adventure comedy The Lovebirds, Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani play an unhappy couple on the brink of splitting up.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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But surveys have also shown many reservists are unhappy with the cabinet's plans, some openly accusing the government of lacking a cohesive strategy, a post-war plan for Gaza or a clear benchmark for victory.—
Emily Rose,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The paddles would be situated 180 degrees with relation to one another, so the reflective sides point in opposite directions.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The product has nine light-reflective shades and is infused with 85 percent skincare ingredients, the company tells me.—
Rachel Burchfield,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition, people may experience anxiety or depression related to summer's end and the return to school and work routines, Prism Medical Products says.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Browns are a virus for seasonal depression.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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