Depressing vs Dismal vs Gloomy vs Melancholy vs Sad

Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.

Depressing

Top 2000 (común)B2adjective

Dismal

Top 5000 (bastante común)C2adjective

Gloomy

Top 3000 (común)C1adjective

Melancholy

FormalMás de 10 000 (menos común)

Sad

Top 1000 (muy común)A1adjective
Más formal: MelancholyMás común: Sad
 DepressingDismalGloomyMelancholySad
Pronunciación🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈpresɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈpresɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ˈdɪzməl//🇺🇸 //ˈdɪzməl//🇬🇧 //ˈɡluːmi//🇺🇸 //ˈɡlumɪ//🇬🇧 //ˈmɛlənkəli//🇺🇸 //ˈmɛlənˌkɑli//🇬🇧 /["/sæd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sæd/"]/
Significadomaking you feel sad or unhappyMuy malo o triste.Very bad or sad.Sentirse triste o tener una atmósfera oscura y deprimente.Feeling sad or having a dark, depressing atmosphere.A deep feeling of sadness.Sentirse infeliz o de mal ánimo.Feeling unhappy or low in spirits.
Ejemploa depressing sight/thought/experienceThe weather was dismal, with rain pouring down all day.The gloomy weather made everyone feel tired and unmotivated.He felt overwhelming melancholy after the loss of his childhood home.She felt sad when her friend moved away.
RegistroNeutralNeutralNeutralFormalNeutral
Qué tan comúnTop 2000 (común)Top 5000 (bastante común)Top 3000 (común)Más de 10 000 (menos común)Top 1000 (muy común)
Nivel CEFRB2C2C1-A1
Categoría gramaticaladjectiveadjectiveadjectiveadjective
Colocacionesbe, become, get, extremely, fairly, verydismal conditions, dismal performance, dismal failuregloomy weather, gloomy atmosphere, gloomy outlook, gloomy face, gloomy thoughtsprofound melancholy, feeling of melancholy, melancholy mood, state of melancholyappear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, about, be, seem, find something, extremely, fairly, very
Antónimosuplifting, cheerful, joyfulbright, cheerful, pleasantcheerful, bright, happyjoy, happiness, elationhappy, joyful, cheerful
Errores comunesUsing it in a positive context, such as 'That movie was depressing, but great!', Confusing it with 'oppressive' which has a different meaning, Using it as a noun instead of an adjective, e.g., 'That was such a depressing.'Confused with 'dismal' vs 'gloomy', Used inappropriately with positive subjects (e.g., 'a dismal success'), Omitting 'dismal' when describing poor performanceConfusing with 'glum' which is less common., Using it to describe a person directly instead of their mood or atmosphere., Misplacing in context; often used for non-living things or general situations rather than people.Mispronounced; often confused with 'melody', Used incorrectly as a verb; 'melancholy' is a noun, Overused in casual contexts, where simpler words like 'sad' would sufficeUsing 'saddened' incorrectly instead of 'sad'., Confusing 'sad' with 'satisfied'., Overusing it to describe situations that are merely disappointing.
Notas de usoUse 'depressing' when something causes feelings of sadness. It's neutral and can be used in both casual and formal contexts, but avoid it in overly cheerful situations.Se usa para describir situaciones, entornos o estados de ánimo que son sombríos o deprimentes. Es apropiado tanto para contextos formales como informales.Used to describe situations, environments, or moods that are bleak or gloomy. Appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.Se usa para describir el clima, estados de ánimo o situaciones. Es más adecuado en contextos formales que en conversaciones informales.Used to describe weather, moods, or situations. More suitable in formal contexts compared to informal conversations.Often used in literary contexts or to describe deep emotional states. Less common in everyday conversation; consider substituting with 'sadness' in casual talks.Usa 'triste' para describir un sentimiento o situación que causa infelicidad. Es apropiado tanto en contextos hablados como escritos. Evita usarlo en escritos demasiado formales.Use 'sad' to describe a feeling or situation that causes unhappiness. It is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it in overly formal writing.

Míralo en clips reales

Depressing
Melancholy

Preguntas frecuentes: Depressing vs Dismal vs Gloomy vs Melancholy vs Sad

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad?

Depressing: making you feel sad or unhappy Dismal: Very bad or sad. Gloomy: Feeling sad or having a dark, depressing atmosphere. Melancholy: A deep feeling of sadness. Sad: Feeling unhappy or low in spirits.

¿Cuál es más formal: Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad?

Melancholy es la más formal de estas.

¿Cuál es más común: Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad?

Sad es la más común en el inglés cotidiano.

¿Cuál es más avanzada: Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad?

Dismal es la de nivel más alto, en C2, en la escala CEFR.

¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?

Depressing: a depressing sight/thought/experience Dismal: The weather was dismal, with rain pouring down all day. Gloomy: The gloomy weather made everyone feel tired and unmotivated. Melancholy: He felt overwhelming melancholy after the loss of his childhood home. Sad: She felt sad when her friend moved away.

¿Puedo usar Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad indistintamente?

No siempre. Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Melancholy y Sad están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.