1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
a plangent, haunting song about a long-ago love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loud
marked by a high volume of sound
plangent organ music filled the church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ringing
marked by conspicuously full and rich sounds or tones
the strong, plangent tones of a Louis Armstrong trumpet solo
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plangent
Magaletti ventures a tentative introduction of brushes on snares; following the muted peal of distant thunder, upsammy chimes in with a plangent synthesizer sequence reminiscent of Arovane and other IDM producers from around the turn of the millennium.
—
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
Anyone can strike a piano key and generate a note Vladimir Horowitz would be proud of, but getting one plangent tone out of a clarinet is a real triumph.
—Robert Klose, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2025
The polar figures of 16th-century Italian choral music, Palestrina, the Apollonian master of elegant counterpoint, and Gesualdo, the violent renegade of plangent harmonies, meet on the same program presented by Miller Theater.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Musically, the song is indistinguishable from most modern country — a plangent guitar melody leading the way, followed by the sinister percussive drop of a trap beat.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2025
The composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, that warhorse of English traditionalism, is mentioned six times, and his plangent music—invoking a lost, idyllic England; a greener, more pleasant land—could easily be the novel’s soundtrack.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
Indeed the music, with its banging, techno-style beats looped against plangent piano, analogizes Jamal’s predicament rather perfectly.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 25 Mar. 2023
That deft level of craft is maintained throughout, while the aching musical bed by contemporary composer Nico Muhly adds just the right tone of plangent despair tinged with hope.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
Anyone can strike a piano key and generate a note Vladimir Horowitz would be proud of, but getting one plangent tone out of a clarinet is a real triumph.
—Robert Klose, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2025
The polar figures of 16th-century Italian choral music, Palestrina, the Apollonian master of elegant counterpoint, and Gesualdo, the violent renegade of plangent harmonies, meet on the same program presented by Miller Theater.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Musically, the song is indistinguishable from most modern country — a plangent guitar melody leading the way, followed by the sinister percussive drop of a trap beat.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2025
The composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, that warhorse of English traditionalism, is mentioned six times, and his plangent music—invoking a lost, idyllic England; a greener, more pleasant land—could easily be the novel’s soundtrack.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
Indeed the music, with its banging, techno-style beats looped against plangent piano, analogizes Jamal’s predicament rather perfectly.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 25 Mar. 2023
That deft level of craft is maintained throughout, while the aching musical bed by contemporary composer Nico Muhly adds just the right tone of plangent despair tinged with hope.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plangent
Adjective
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The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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On the soundtrack, mournful wailing music presents her as a tragic character.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The style is quintessential Deborah—strong, bold, a little loud, yet classy.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 2026
-
Like the Marrakech souks, Chatuchak is a full sensory experience of loud music, the smell of Thai street food and a buzzing, barter-friendly atmosphere.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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On the other, giving up 24 goals in a five-game loss to a team that immediately forgets how to score and gets swept isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of a team being close to contending.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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There is performance and rage, humor and babies, bell ringing and escape rooms.—
Erica Firpo,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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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The bear was almost on top of us when, with a deafening roar, the shot from both barrels smacked into that enormous shaggy head.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
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That doesn’t mean the Avs can’t enjoy themselves, feel pride in an accomplishment or revel in the deafening roar when MacKinnon fired the perfect shot at the perfect time.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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After gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country had tried and failed to make FIFA’s global jamboree on seven occasions, three times coming within one match (or round) of a place in the tournament.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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The train departs from the Santa Fe Depot and traces the Arkansas River on a 24-mile round-trip journey through granite cliffs, some of which stretch more than 1,000 feet above the tracks.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Also on Monday, senior government, police and military officials attended funeral prayers for the slain security personnel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
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With Hillary Dawa alone on the world’s tallest mountain in perilous conditions for so long, his family had already begun funeral rites for him.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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On shrill winter nights, Moscow’s power is conspicuous, its Orthodox cathedrals and Stalinist high-rises illuminated, though the view falls dim in the autumn and spring, shrouded in sheets of greige.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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The chaos is still an acceptable price to pay for Birney’s expertly offputting performance, a shrill mania that gets increasingly comic over time.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plangent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plangent. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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