Melancholy
adjective
Feeling or showing deep sadness or depression.
She was in a melancholy mood
Often appears as...
- melancholy mood
- melancholy music
noun
State of sadness or depression.
His poems reveal his deep melancholy
Often appears as...
- feel a melancholy
- deep melancholy
adjective
Causing feelings of sadness.
The movie had a melancholy ending
Often appears as...
- melancholy ending
- melancholy story
noun
Old term for a type of depression marked by persistent sadness.
He was treated for melancholy
Usage tips
Formal
Medical
adjective
Feeling or showing deep sadness or depression.
She was in a melancholy mood
Often appears as...
- melancholy mood
- melancholy music
noun
State of sadness or depression.
His poems reveal his deep melancholy
Often appears as...
- feel a melancholy
- deep melancholy
adjective
Causing feelings of sadness.
The movie had a melancholy ending
Often appears as...
- melancholy ending
- melancholy story
noun
Old term for a type of depression marked by persistent sadness.
He was treated for melancholy
Usage tips
Formal
Medical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional State
Use 'melancholy' to describe someone's sad emotional state, not just a temporary bad mood.
After the news of his mentor’s passing, John’s demeanor turned unmistakably melancholy.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Expression
'Melancholy' often implies a quiet, reflective type of sadness as opposed to loud or dramatic.
Her eyes had a melancholy gaze as she watched the sunset.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Reference
In literature, 'melancholy' can be associated with romanticism, where sadness has a poetic quality.
The poet’s melancholy verses tugged at the heartstrings of his audience.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional State
Use 'melancholy' to describe someone's sad emotional state, not just a temporary bad mood.
After the news of his mentor’s passing, John’s demeanor turned unmistakably melancholy.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Expression
'Melancholy' often implies a quiet, reflective type of sadness as opposed to loud or dramatic.
Her eyes had a melancholy gaze as she watched the sunset.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Reference
In literature, 'melancholy' can be associated with romanticism, where sadness has a poetic quality.
The poet’s melancholy verses tugged at the heartstrings of his audience.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional State
Use 'melancholy' to describe someone's sad emotional state, not just a temporary bad mood.
After the news of his mentor’s passing, John’s demeanor turned unmistakably melancholy.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Expression
'Melancholy' often implies a quiet, reflective type of sadness as opposed to loud or dramatic.
Her eyes had a melancholy gaze as she watched the sunset.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Reference
In literature, 'melancholy' can be associated with romanticism, where sadness has a poetic quality.
The poet’s melancholy verses tugged at the heartstrings of his audience.
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Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
He would make many melancholy reflections upon the precariousness of human life, and when all these humane sentiments had been once fairly expressed, he would pursue his business or his pleasure with the same ease and tranquility as if no such accident had happened. If he was to lose his little finger tomorrow,
Video examples
The Amreeka Interviews -...
wonder I don't really know how else to put it other than there was something about her that was so youthful and yet I could still see in her eyes like the depth of of sadness that you know that life the life experience had had given her so there was this really kind of beautiful blend of melancholy yet hope
Video examples
How theater weathers...
and I asked them what plays were speaking to them and helping them process this time. Many of the characters in the plays they sent don't share my lived experience. And I think their words are important to hear. My friend Jeremy sent me a monologue by Sarah Ruhl from her "Melancholy Play."
Video examples
A brief history of...
and in that discussion, you'll find a strong argument that sadness is not only an inevitable part of life but an essential one. If you've never felt melancholy, you've missed out on part of what it means to be human. Many thinkers contend that melancholy is necessary in gaining wisdom.
Video examples
Can we choose to fall...
However, when I perform my own music as a solo artist, I tend to gravitate towards more melancholy sounds. A few years ago, I gave my mom the rough mixes of a new album, and she said, "Baby, it's beautiful, but why is it always so sad?"
Video examples
National Geographic...
she suddenly realized that it was time for her to start a different journey and so she decided to go home as you can imagine this is a huge shake-up for all of us so there were a lot of emotions and I think it was a really melancholy
Video examples
Daria van den Bercken:...
Well, this sounds very energetic, doesn't it? So within a couple of minutes, and the piece isn't even finished yet, I experienced two very contrasting beautiful melancholy and sheer energy. And I consider these two elements to be
Video examples
How the worst moments in...
But the self-loathing of that period left a void, and celebration needs to fill and overflow it, and even if I repay my private debt of melancholy, there's still an outer world of homophobia that it will take decades to address.
Video examples
History’s deadliest...
or what we'd now call lead poisoning. Artists who worked with lead complained of palseys, melancholy, coughing, enlarged retinas, and even blindness. But lead white's density, opacity, and warm tone
Video examples
Ben Katchor's comics of...
is of a completely different nature. It has a deep melancholy ring. Children don't like it. It's why they leave lights on around the house. Adults find it comforting.
Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
He would make many melancholy reflections upon the precariousness of human life, and when all these humane sentiments had been once fairly expressed, he would pursue his business or his pleasure with the same ease and tranquility as if no such accident had happened. If he was to lose his little finger tomorrow,
Video examples
The Amreeka Interviews -...
wonder I don't really know how else to put it other than there was something about her that was so youthful and yet I could still see in her eyes like the depth of of sadness that you know that life the life experience had had given her so there was this really kind of beautiful blend of melancholy yet hope
Video examples
How theater weathers...
and I asked them what plays were speaking to them and helping them process this time. Many of the characters in the plays they sent don't share my lived experience. And I think their words are important to hear. My friend Jeremy sent me a monologue by Sarah Ruhl from her "Melancholy Play."
Video examples
A brief history of...
and in that discussion, you'll find a strong argument that sadness is not only an inevitable part of life but an essential one. If you've never felt melancholy, you've missed out on part of what it means to be human. Many thinkers contend that melancholy is necessary in gaining wisdom.
Video examples
Can we choose to fall...
However, when I perform my own music as a solo artist, I tend to gravitate towards more melancholy sounds. A few years ago, I gave my mom the rough mixes of a new album, and she said, "Baby, it's beautiful, but why is it always so sad?"
Video examples
National Geographic...
she suddenly realized that it was time for her to start a different journey and so she decided to go home as you can imagine this is a huge shake-up for all of us so there were a lot of emotions and I think it was a really melancholy
Video examples
Daria van den Bercken:...
Well, this sounds very energetic, doesn't it? So within a couple of minutes, and the piece isn't even finished yet, I experienced two very contrasting beautiful melancholy and sheer energy. And I consider these two elements to be
Video examples
How the worst moments in...
But the self-loathing of that period left a void, and celebration needs to fill and overflow it, and even if I repay my private debt of melancholy, there's still an outer world of homophobia that it will take decades to address.
Video examples
History’s deadliest...
or what we'd now call lead poisoning. Artists who worked with lead complained of palseys, melancholy, coughing, enlarged retinas, and even blindness. But lead white's density, opacity, and warm tone
Video examples
Ben Katchor's comics of...
is of a completely different nature. It has a deep melancholy ring. Children don't like it. It's why they leave lights on around the house. Adults find it comforting.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Robert Zemeckis
American Director
No one can actually define love, but you attempt to, and the closest you can get is longing. And that itself has a melancholy to it. You can say dread, or doom - it's that feeling we all feel when we fall in love with someone: we have this horrible, fearful feeling that maybe we will never have that person in our life.
Quote examples
Jason Mraz
American Musician
It's from being melancholy and having my human down experiences that I learn, that I overcome, that I transform - and these realizations I put into song. That's what I choose to put in my backpack and carry with me around the world.
Quote examples
Gail Sheehy
American Writer
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!
Quote examples
Garrett Dillahunt
I'm drawn to melancholy characters. I don't know what that says about me. Characters who are filled with shame. I think shame is interesting.
Quote examples
Gautham Menon
Indian Director
In everybody's life, there is love, there is sorrow, there is melancholy. And there might be danger as well.
Quote examples
Karen Elson
English Model
I like those stories that capture the brutality of life, but there's still some kind of melancholy romance.
Quote examples
Paul McCartney
English Singer
But with writers, there's nothing wrong with melancholy. It's an important color in writing.
Quote examples
Jonathan Coe
English Novelist
The more melancholy side of my literary personality is much in tune with BS Johnson's.
Quote examples
Sandra Bullock
American Actress
I think every human being has a level of melancholy in life and in general.
Quote examples
Charles Dickens
English Novelist
It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.
Quote examples
Robert Zemeckis
American Director
No one can actually define love, but you attempt to, and the closest you can get is longing. And that itself has a melancholy to it. You can say dread, or doom - it's that feeling we all feel when we fall in love with someone: we have this horrible, fearful feeling that maybe we will never have that person in our life.
Quote examples
Jason Mraz
American Musician
It's from being melancholy and having my human down experiences that I learn, that I overcome, that I transform - and these realizations I put into song. That's what I choose to put in my backpack and carry with me around the world.
Quote examples
Gail Sheehy
American Writer
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!
Quote examples
Garrett Dillahunt
I'm drawn to melancholy characters. I don't know what that says about me. Characters who are filled with shame. I think shame is interesting.
Quote examples
Gautham Menon
Indian Director
In everybody's life, there is love, there is sorrow, there is melancholy. And there might be danger as well.
Quote examples
Karen Elson
English Model
I like those stories that capture the brutality of life, but there's still some kind of melancholy romance.
Quote examples
Paul McCartney
English Singer
But with writers, there's nothing wrong with melancholy. It's an important color in writing.
Quote examples
Jonathan Coe
English Novelist
The more melancholy side of my literary personality is much in tune with BS Johnson's.
Quote examples
Sandra Bullock
American Actress
I think every human being has a level of melancholy in life and in general.
Quote examples
Charles Dickens
English Novelist
It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.
Example 1 of 10
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