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
Rohan Goyal Double exposure This photo by Rohan Goyal, a 32-year-old with Down syndrome, captures his mother in a pensive mood laid over the image of a tall building.
—
Charu Bahri, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
His conversational style in interviews is pensive and soft-spoken, almost professorial, which hooked up to the note of insistence just underneath the angel-cake vocal beauty.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
Justin Vernon’s vision is expansive as ever, pairing a pensive drum track with country guitar strumming (reminiscent of his early band DeYarmond Edison) and pristine, silvery synthesizers.
—Alex Suskind, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
One shows the face of a pensive Kwak, perhaps lost in thought.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Charu Bahri, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
His conversational style in interviews is pensive and soft-spoken, almost professorial, which hooked up to the note of insistence just underneath the angel-cake vocal beauty.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
Justin Vernon’s vision is expansive as ever, pairing a pensive drum track with country guitar strumming (reminiscent of his early band DeYarmond Edison) and pristine, silvery synthesizers.
—Alex Suskind, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
One shows the face of a pensive Kwak, perhaps lost in thought.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
-
At this point, armed with insights about labor, the commodity, and the money-form, the reader may be shedding any melancholy incomprehension—but can’t yet have arrived at angry lucidity.—
Benjamin Kunkel,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The lyrical content of Vernon’s records have long been marked with a tinge of turmoil, and his tendency towards heavy introspection has, at times, cornered him into a trope of a melancholy, lovesick songwriter.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Virtual work can be thoughtful, efficient, and sustainable, but only if the foundation is clear.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The post sparked a thoughtful discussion in the comments, with one user suggesting that neither party was necessarily in the wrong.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The new camp will also include spa offerings and wellness programming, designed for reflective and restorative stays, rooted in nature.—
Nicole Trilivas,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
This latest study was also more reflective of real-world protein intake than previous research.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And LucasFilm certainly deserves credit for trusting Gilroy and giving him ample funding even if his contemplative show didn't reach the ratings highs of The Mandalorian.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The unique micro-apartment will be used as a short-stay accommodation that is compact, contemplative, and quietly radical.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
There's an eclectic mix of jazz, big sweeping orchestral pieces, high energy electric guitars, and quiet, somber piano tunes.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
-
President Donald Trump is set to address the annual White House Easter Egg Roll hours after the death of Pope Francis, making for a somber backdrop for the light-hearted, kid-friendly affair.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share