What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Lonesome vs Melancholy - What's the difference?

lonesome | melancholy | Related terms |

Lonesome is a related term of melancholy.


As adjectives the difference between lonesome and melancholy

is that lonesome is unhappy due to being alone; lonely while melancholy is affected with great sadness or depression.

As nouns the difference between lonesome and melancholy

is that lonesome is (informal) oneself alone while melancholy is (historical) black bile, formerly thought to be one of the four "cardinal humours" of animal bodies.

lonesome

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • unhappy due to being alone; lonely

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) oneself alone
  • * I sat and watched the cars pass all by my lonesome .

    • Anagrams

    *

    melancholy

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Affected with great sadness or depression.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
    • , chapter=1 citation , passage=“[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes

    Synonyms

    * (thoughtful sadness) (l) * See also

    Noun

    (melancholies)
  • (historical) Black bile, formerly thought to be one of the four "cardinal humours" of animal bodies.
  • *, Bk.I, New York 2001, p.148:
    • Melancholy , cold and dry, thick, black, and sour,is a bridle to the other two hot humours, blood and choler, preserving them in the blood, and nourishing the bones.
  • Great sadness or depression, especially of a thoughtful or introspective nature.
  • * 1593 , (William Shakespeare), , V. i. 34:
    • My mind was troubled with deep melancholy .

    Related terms

    * melancholic * sadness