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 post included a series of pictures of D’Angelo in the studio, as well as a snap of the two musicians in which D is giving one of his classic pensive, knowing looks and Hill is smiling as the pair lean their heads together.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025
Stephen depicts the women’s schooltime bond in hypnotic flashbacks, and their separation largely through absence itself, with gliding, pensive shots of places—rooms, buildings, streets—where the women have been and may be again but which, onscreen, are vacant.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2025
After the orchestra launches in with a full flaring sound, the cello takes the lead on a sweet, almost pensive solo.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
The fragrance’s marine notes set a new olfactive trend, and its campaign fronted by a pensive Larry Paul Scott became iconic.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025
Stephen depicts the women’s schooltime bond in hypnotic flashbacks, and their separation largely through absence itself, with gliding, pensive shots of places—rooms, buildings, streets—where the women have been and may be again but which, onscreen, are vacant.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2025
After the orchestra launches in with a full flaring sound, the cello takes the lead on a sweet, almost pensive solo.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
The fragrance’s marine notes set a new olfactive trend, and its campaign fronted by a pensive Larry Paul Scott became iconic.
—Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
-
Cookie cravings, a tinge of melancholy, and the urge to hibernate and fix your life all at once.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
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There is a note of melancholy associated with the former house, as the dormitory long bore the name of a student, Emily Cluett, who had caught the flu more than a century ago and died.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some parents carefully vetted and chose thoughtful names to add to the birth certificate, while others undoubtedly may have selected them on a whim or as a result of losing a bet.—
Cooper Worth,
Des Moines Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Soft, breathable materials and thoughtful construction have made the silhouette way more wearable, offering a happy medium between your comfiest sneakers and your dressiest pumps.—
Nina Derwin,
Glamour,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If natural light isn't sufficient, install grow lights or use reflective surfaces.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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Stewart has explained the film as being designed as a reflective experience for the audience that unflinchingly shows the subconscious ways memory lives within the human body.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While wrestling is physical and intense, golf is more contemplative.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
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There, the tea ceremony was both a contemplative act and an occasion to display Chinese calligraphy, paintings and ceramics.—
The Conversation,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Following the game, the Panthers’ locker room was somber.—
Mike Kaye
Updated January 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
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Pastor Rickie Rush, founder of IBOC, led the rest of the somber ceremony.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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