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View synonyms for wistful

wistful

[ wist-fuhl ]

adjective

  1. characterized by melancholy or longing.
  2. pensive, especially in a melancholy way.

    Synonyms: forlorn, meditative, musing, contemplative, reflective



wistful

/ ˈwɪstfʊl /

adjective

  1. sadly pensive, esp about something yearned for


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Derived Forms

  • ˈwistfully, adverb
  • ˈwistfulness, noun

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Other Words From

  • wist·ful·ly adverb
  • wist·ful·ness noun
  • un·wist·ful adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wistful1

First recorded in 1605–15; obsolete wist “quiet, silent, attentive” (variant of whist 2 ) + -ful

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Example Sentences

While the logic Old provides makes sense, I can imagine a better movie that ends 20 minutes earlier and gives fewer answers, leaving us with more of the unnerving, wistful sadness that always comes along with stories about aging and mortality.

From Vox

That makes him wistful because renderings of proteins hooked him on science.

In wistful moments, when I find myself daydreaming about the faraway places that have seldom felt so distant, I often linger on a border region of central Africa.

Her wistful duet with Lee Brice, “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” hit the top of the country charts last summer.

When she sings “it’s the first kiss, it’s flawless, it’s really something” on Fearless, she now sounds wistful as opposed to viscerally reliving a moment from a year or two ago.

From Time

But for much of the country, these fleeting moments of wistful longing happen in the everyday-low-prices aisles of Walmart.

It makes me feel sort of hopeful, and I have a wistful sort of longing for it.

Naomi Watts plays Diana as a sweet-natured, wistful, half-wit.

This puts into wistful perspective the developing consensus that we should do something about it.

Andy likes watching the toddlers, but he is wistful about his old life, and somewhat defensive about his new one.

Yes, Georgie loved the man, and looked up at him with wistful, trusting eyes.

And during the days when no gray car appeared she faced the situation, took stock, as it were, and grew heavy-eyed and wistful.

She saw him as he had looked the night he had said he loved her, rather wistful and very, very tender.

"Yes; I suppose so," and a wistful look came into his eyes, while his face suggested pain.

"Aunt Mary says I do do that—all the time," rejoined Cordelia, with a wistful smile.

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