pensive

adjective

ˈpen(t)-siv How to pronounce pensive (audio)
Definition of pensivenext
as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking rainy days often put her in a pensive mood

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pensive Or a mature, pensive Robin Hood, by Sean Connery. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026 That’s followed by some pensive, unaccompanied trumpet, also by Wooley, the former University of Denver Lamont School of Music student who’s gone on to an impactful, creative career. — Bret Saunders, Denver Post, 6 June 2026 This summer’s take on beachy perfumes encapsulates the calming, pensive, and healing nature of the seashore. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 3 June 2026 Another shot included here shows a more pensive Marilyn on set, waiting to spring to life. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
  1. melancholy
  2. thoughtful
  3. reflective
  4. contemplative
  5. somber
Adjective
  • What reads at a casual distance as serene maternal tenderness shifts, on closer inspection, into something more ambivalent—a shade of melancholy that surfaces only when the eye lingers on Mary’s face.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Midland put their stamp on the idea by maintaining those mixed emotions of melancholy and excitement; the romance but also the rootlessness of a life spent on the road.
    — Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • The shoulder pads are removable, a thoughtful detail that allows the top to be worn as a statement or in a more relaxed fashion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The pair tapped Van Eyssen, an alum of famed Asian hospitality brand Aman, to curate the spa’s program, which reflected her thoughtful and holistic approach to wellness.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • According to the announcement, the semi-acoustic record draws inspiration from reflective touchstones in Young’s catalog such as Comes a Time and Prairie Wind, with lyrics that grapple with memory, mortality and renewal.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Caltrans has been slowly removing those 1960s-era signs with the letter studded with reflective dots and replacing them with newer ones.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • The sound design — marked by silences, ambient natural sounds such as snowfall and birdsong, the unhurried rhythm of speech, and an original score built on tranquil orchestral elements — amplifies the film’s contemplative tone.
    — Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The Final Painting fittingly has a contemplative tone, with slow, spellbound songs that seem both off-the-cuff and profoundly lived in.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 31 July 2026
Definition of contemplative
Adjective
  • For the past four decades, July was always a somber month for the McDonalds, a reminder of the moment that changed their family's lives.
    — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Less than two months after her historic victory to become Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae stood before a bank of microphones and opposition lawmakers, looking somber.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of somber

Browse Nearby Words

pensions
pensive
penstock
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Cite this Entry

“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pensive for Spanish Speakers

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