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 The pensive, prettier songs do not always play to his strengths. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026 John Malkovich looks pensive ahead of his guest appearance in Report on the Blind at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, Sweden on June 22. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 For Waititi, the film has lots of comedic parts while retaining the pensive beauty of the original text. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 18 June 2026 Or a mature, pensive Robin Hood, by Sean Connery. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 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
  • The strength of the novel — and the source of its melancholy tone — is in its scope.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Forte, and everyone else in the room, loved it, and as the lights went up, doubt and melancholy turned into frustration and confusion.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • The fall 2026 collections leaned into this expression of individuality, showcasing an array of accents that encourage thoughtful experimentation.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Every element is artful, thoughtful—a genuine expression of the Sersales’ enduring love affair with contemporary art and cultural storytelling.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • Construction workers in reflective vests and hardhats formed a semicircle for the cameras.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • August’s number is likewise not reflective of job growth writ large this year, which is tracking at about 80,000 roles per month.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • We are asked constantly to dilate and contract—to adjust from contemplative darkness to the California sun, from specific detail to overarching conceit, from stillness to activity.
    — Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In a voice at once biting and contemplative, eerie and funny, Kasischke crafts poems in which nothing is ever stable or resolved.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of contemplative
Adjective
  • The actor-director continued on a more somber note, driving home the importance of free speech.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Davis was much more somber, and his attorney, Wayne Higgins, is heard frequently admonishing his client for volunteering unnecessary information.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of somber

Browse Nearby Words

pensions
pensive
penstock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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