as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
the man sighed plaintively as it became clear that he was getting nowhere with the officious bureaucrat
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Recent Examples of plaintively
The evening tolling of the bell at the Hōshō-ji temple echoed plaintively.
—
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
The video of Hodges crying out plaintively is the antithesis of how a cop wants to be seen.
—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
As if to emphasize Marlo's point, an immature bald eagle called plaintively from the top of a nearby tree.
—
Crai S. Bower,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2023
Mia plaintively asks Philip at one particularly vulnerable moment.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
The video of Hodges crying out plaintively is the antithesis of how a cop wants to be seen.
—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
As if to emphasize Marlo's point, an immature bald eagle called plaintively from the top of a nearby tree.
—
Crai S. Bower,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2023
Mia plaintively asks Philip at one particularly vulnerable moment.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaintively
Adverb
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With a goalkeeping howler and a red card, Marcelo Bielsa’s side self-imploded at the end of a bitterly disappointing tournament.
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And the organization’s internal splinter groups, the Soviet-leaning Weatherman Underground and the Maoist-leaning Progressive Labor faction fought each other bitterly.
Adverb
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Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
Adverb
-
Little Debbie Apple Flips Though there are still plenty of Little Debbie classics filling the shelves at Southern grocery stores, and even new arrivals from time to time, there are also sadly some treats that have been discontinued.
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Its co-op is online-only (no couch play, sadly), and the AI companion is your trusty sidekick.
Adverb
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So is the moment early in the film when Mary mournfully looks on as her long-ago home faces demolition to make room for a big, featureless residential complex.
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Things are getting hot in Kayce's love life, even after the widower mournfully visits the East Camp memorial to his beloved wife, Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille).
Adverb
-
The Battle of Karbala — where a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad died defying tyranny — feels painfully present for residents of Nabatieh as Israel continues to occupy southern Lebanon.
-
Iranian officials are also painfully aware that their country was bombed during previous periods of negotiations with the US since the war that broke out in late February.
Cite this Entry
“Plaintively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaintively. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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