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
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
The cinematic and melancholy video follows Gomez around a studio lot, seemingly reflecting on her life of young stardom.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2025
There’s a strange way, too, in which the goofiness reinforces the melancholy at the heart of his joke, a yearning for an entire range of interactions that have fallen to the wayside in a world that doesn’t have use for them.
—Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Adjective
But even without Anthony Davis, even without Max Christie and even without Doncic, who is still recovering from a calf injury, the Lakers looked like a team still intent on accomplishing that mission, melancholy or not.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
The cinematic and melancholy video follows Gomez around a studio lot, seemingly reflecting on her life of young stardom.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
But where Knight of Cups often drifts along in a generalized fog of melancholy, Blanchett actually makes the film’s lament for shattered relationships and thwarted potential actually hurt.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2025
There’s a strange way, too, in which the goofiness reinforces the melancholy at the heart of his joke, a yearning for an entire range of interactions that have fallen to the wayside in a world that doesn’t have use for them.
—Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melancholy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melancholy
Adjective
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Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
Rachel Ng,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
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Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Meantime, brands that have thus far managed to weather a wider luxury downturn and depressed consumer spending, such as Hermes , could be best placed to pass on price rises.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2025
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However, the knock-on effects — namely, depressed U.S. consumer spending and a pullback in ad budgets — would clearly cut into Hollywood’s profits, according to analysts.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The pair both showed up to their second date on the beach with thoughtful gifts and eventually shared their first kiss before Tyler met Madison's family.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
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This is a complex matter requiring thoughtful consideration and a long-term perspective.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Many learned the depressing answer only when trying to scan badges and getting rejected by security, which treated them more or less like trespassers.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Covering 80% of roof area on commercial buildings in the U.S. with solar reflective material would be the equivalent to turning off 34 coal power plants for one year.—
Rob Lewallen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
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The dining room on the floor below has deep red carpets, gold chairs, burl wood walls in a herringbone pattern and reflective metallic paint on the ceiling that intensifies the rotating 360 degree views.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The series builds a lot of sympathy for the showcased players, especially Duran, who is uncomfortably open recalling the pressure his father — who admits to some regrets as well — put on him and talking about his struggles with depression.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2025
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After addressing changes in his diet, Williams said, his health and depression became manageable.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This is a love story, after all, and one with a keen grasp of the mournful, curious glances between its two leads — of how much goes untranslated between them, and how much is conveyed.—
Sheri Linden,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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In a circular frame at the center of the screen, still images and footage of the deceased played over the swelling, mournful music in a static shot anchoring the four-and-a-half-minute segment, which was capped off by a final photograph of Hackman.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melancholy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melancholy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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