as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Social butterfly Venus and pensive Chiron are waltzing through your learning zone and your social sector, showing off just how much your friends can teach you — purposefully or not.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Volpe never pushes for emotional effect, showing restraint with her use of Oliver Coates’ melancholy, pensive score.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Mashal was tall and stocky, with a gentle, pensive face.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Home dynamics ask for care as harmony-seeking Venus squares pensive Chiron, with Venus in your 4th House of Family and Chiron in your 7th House of Alliances.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Volpe never pushes for emotional effect, showing restraint with her use of Oliver Coates’ melancholy, pensive score.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Mashal was tall and stocky, with a gentle, pensive face.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Home dynamics ask for care as harmony-seeking Venus squares pensive Chiron, with Venus in your 4th House of Family and Chiron in your 7th House of Alliances.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
-
In a weirdly serendipitous bit of cinema news, Billie Eilish—queen of melancholy pop—is turning her sad eyes to Sylvia Plath.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Arima Ederra made melancholy feel sunny on her debut, An Orange Colored Day.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jordan has always been thoughtful in his work, though, even as a youngster.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Your natural initiative helps groups move again, while a brief pause keeps choices thoughtful instead of reactive.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Beyond the visuals, Tan’s actual caption struck a reflective tone that stood out from the usual social media fare.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
-
There are plenty of star actors who would rather enter the seventh circle of hell than do what Radcliffe is doing here with boundless enthusiasm and reflective of his career-long determination to challenge himself.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Along much of the coastline, the water is shallow, the waves are strong, and the water is on the colder side (even in August), making its beaches better for surfing (or contemplative gazing) than swimming.—
Austin Bush,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Naples inspires poetic reflection, and Rosi’s contemplative style inspires us to think beyond the frame and the immediate subject matter.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Whatever your position on the war, killing human beings is a matter for somber reflection and not the intense joy Hegseth displays.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The big story Instead of trumpeting China's tech advances, Premier Li Qiang struck an uncharacteristically somber tone during a nationwide address on policy plans.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
