as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pensive
The undercurrent of pensive sadness gives the movie an emotional depth that helps counter its relatively rote approach.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
After the lecture, the audience was visibly pensive.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 19 Apr. 2026
Big horizons meet daily realities as the instinctive Moon explores your pensive 9th house and squares Jupiter in your sensible 6th house.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Gonzalez describes him as serious, pensive, charming and easy to like.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pensive
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
After the lecture, the audience was visibly pensive.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 19 Apr. 2026
Big horizons meet daily realities as the instinctive Moon explores your pensive 9th house and squares Jupiter in your sensible 6th house.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Gonzalez describes him as serious, pensive, charming and easy to like.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
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These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
-
The specific kind of melancholy that only exists between Halloween and the first real snow.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Pisces Moon supports thoughtful expression and easier communication.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
-
Izaiah is sweet, funny, and incredibly thoughtful, often bringing a positive and lighthearted energy to the people around him.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Designed by Scott Wilson Architecture with interiors by Cherie Grisham, the residence opens with a dramatic double-height foyer capped by a 20-foot reflective ceiling and anchored by a sweeping helical staircase.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
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It is described as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a high-quality color grade, moderate transparency and a highly reflective surface.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the book, Caputo’s initial pride and arrogance soon give way to a more contemplative spirit, followed by degeneration.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
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The setting leans quiet and contemplative rather than circuit-driven.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is a somber, aching sequence for Bernthal, which Storer shoots from down at his and Ireland’s level, in a long take that is now customary for this show.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
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When Francophiles aligned with Jefferson wore tricolor cockades, Washington’s men responded with sombre black ones.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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