as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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Also emotional, sometimes spirited, and other times melancholy are the songs, which Cotillard lip-synced.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
Jordan has always been thoughtful in his work, though, even as a youngster.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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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
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The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center plans to incorporate bird-friendly glass, a move aimed at reducing deadly collisions with reflective surfaces.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The soft glow of lanterns against ancient mounds turns a seemingly simple walk into a reflective, cinematic journey through American history.—
Rafael Peña,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the frescoes covering the walls and vaulted ceilings depict the mysteries of the rosaries and were meant to encourage the contemplative life of the Dominican friars living in the convent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
In 2016, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a somber visit to the Pearl Harbor memorial site alongside then-President Barack Obama.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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But the mood at the event that February evening was notably sombre.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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