as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the puppy's plaintive expression after we put the toy away was rather amusing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plaintive
But, after ten days of barrages by the American and Israeli militaries, the more telling banners made plaintive and prideful statements.
—
Robin Wright, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
The movie whose theme song was a minimalist, plaintive DUH-DUN ended up striking a major chord with its cinematic production design.
—Michael Martin, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2025
Crickets and frogs and the plaintive call of the poorwill can also add intrigue to the darkness.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
His voice is very high and plaintive.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Robin Wright, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
The movie whose theme song was a minimalist, plaintive DUH-DUN ended up striking a major chord with its cinematic production design.
—Michael Martin, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2025
Crickets and frogs and the plaintive call of the poorwill can also add intrigue to the darkness.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
His voice is very high and plaintive.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaintive
Adjective
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The zebras pranced, all frisky energy; the elephants, lumbering and mournful, trailed behind with their ancient thoughts.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Kogonada’s mournful sci-fi drama takes place in a world where people can buy robot children and follows all the sorrow that comes with the arrangement.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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On a recent day, a patron drank a Guinness at the bar amid walls are covered in funeral notices from people who had come for a drink after saying that final goodbye.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
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The family has not yet announced funeral plans, and no further details have been made public.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The family returned home heartbroken and frustrated, with no DNA testing conducted and no indication that the remains—or any other evidence—had been preserved or examined.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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But the human in me — my heart and my soul — was heartbroken.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
Adjective
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That clash of emotions — celebration of a dream season and commiseration over its bitter conclusion — sat on the central clubhouse table.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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To come to its conclusion, the team had 48 participants sample an array of tomato juices with different flavor profiles, including sweet, salty, and bitter options.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plaintive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaintive. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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