plaintive

adjective

ˈplān-tiv How to pronounce plaintive (audio)
Definition of plaintivenext
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning the puppy's plaintive expression after we put the toy away was rather amusing

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 plaintive The plaintive melodies are mournful yet comforting. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026 The record includes generic corn too, which even Langley’s plaintive voice can’t save. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026 The steady, unwavering empathy of her gaze encompasses a universe of tiny, interlaced incidents in which the zany entwines the plaintive, or the tragic the comic. — Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026 Hoffhines’ plaintive message indicated that captive agents knew of the policy to deny claims. — J.c. Hallman, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaintive
  1. mournful
  2. weeping
  3. funeral
  4. heartbroken
  5. wailing
  6. bitter
Adjective
  • The years have only intensified Zimmerman’s mournful, hushed vocal performance, and Dream Me a Dream often plays out like a bedtime story spun by a beloved elder, accompanied by soft strings, shakers, and even a synth or two.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 19 June 2026
  • The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.
    — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • When his funeral conflicts with Lonnie’s tee time, The Hawk texts in his eulogy between holes.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • Details about the funeral arrangements for Nolan Wells, the teen who was found dead on July 6 after visiting Horn Island, Mississippi, have been released.
    — Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • The feud shows no signs of ending, and Kate Middleton is reportedly heartbroken over it.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 18 July 2026
  • In 2017, administrators at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh were heartbroken to learn that hundreds of rare books, art prints and maps worth more than $8 million had been purloined from its rare books room.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of wailing
Adjective
  • More than a month into the start of the tournament, one Italian friend still feels bitter over the fate of his beloved Azzurri, who didn’t qualify this year.
    — Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Sutton’s bitter lesson is applicable to biology because so much of the human body — not just the mind — is still beyond our understanding.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of bitter

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Cite this Entry

“Plaintive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaintive. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plaintive

Nglish: Translation of plaintive for Spanish Speakers

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