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
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
Despite this, one of the more poignant bronzes her mother made at this time is of Flora, seated quietly in an armchair, the curve of her body and downcast expression manifesting her pensive mood.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
There’s Walter’s serene cello and Marjorie’s pensive, slightly coy violin, sometimes playful or petulant or, still, a little vain and secretive — other times thin and trembling, lost in the haze of dementia.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pensive
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
Despite this, one of the more poignant bronzes her mother made at this time is of Flora, seated quietly in an armchair, the curve of her body and downcast expression manifesting her pensive mood.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
There’s Walter’s serene cello and Marjorie’s pensive, slightly coy violin, sometimes playful or petulant or, still, a little vain and secretive — other times thin and trembling, lost in the haze of dementia.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
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But Fennell is too fixated on the surface dazzle to undercut the mood with deeper melancholy or conflicted sexuality.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
19 Feb. 2026
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Turner plays the middle brother with intriguing melancholy and an almost alien detachment, which works within the world this film creates, but not necessarily for a main character.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rooms can accommodate families with connecting layouts, and a thoughtful program for Little Stars includes boba tea-making classes, Hakka umbrella-painting workshops, and various Taiwanese cooking classes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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The most elaborate of these suites spanned the top floors of houses and were filled with thoughtful decorations and toys.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Other technologies that could be phased out include waste heat recovery systems that pull heat from the car’s engine to the interior, solar reflective surface coating and high efficacy exterior lights.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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The pair will also include a glow-in-the-dark green rubber outsole and a reflective silver finish on the heel logo.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With intentionality, planning, and creativity, there are possibilities for soft, joyful, and contemplative moments that also allow for learning.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
20 Feb. 2026
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Less inviting and contemplative than aggressive and giddy, its priority isn’t to ask the audience to step outside their own perspective and examine how their behavior may contribute to similar hostilities.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The panel event, the subject of which was decided in late December, was a somber affair in the wake of the harsh crackdown by Iran’s Islamic Republic government on anti-government demonstrations on January 8 and 9, which has left thousands dead or detained.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
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Tone turns on a dime, the acting broad one minute, somber the next.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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