as in nostalgic
showing or evoking a sad longing for an often idealized past
She felt wistful looking through her college yearbook, remembering old friends she had not seen in decades.
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Recent Examples of wistful
Once, at a fund-raising party in San Francisco, a woman approached Lilian with a wistful look.
—
Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
Despite their sometimes wistful tone, Lee’s stories aren’t about making the wrong choice, but about being denied any meaningful choice at all.
—Camille Bromley, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
The wistful ballad-like track peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
Despite their sometimes wistful tone, Lee’s stories aren’t about making the wrong choice, but about being denied any meaningful choice at all.
—Camille Bromley, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
The wistful ballad-like track peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful
Adjective
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Han deliberately juxtaposed high-tech elements like holograms against retro settings like Euljiro, a neighborhood known for its nostalgic atmosphere.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2025
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My Best Friend’s Wedding, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and The Wedding Planner are pretty alarming in hindsight as well, and yet, people somehow are able to speak about them with nostalgic affection.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This fragrance is designed to evoke memories of a dreamy summer on white beaches with crystal water.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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In Louis Vuitton’s 2025 Resort Campaign Louis Vuitton’s latest women’s campaign featuring Zendaya radiates pure summer energy, channeling a nostalgic ’70s aesthetic set against the dreamy backdrop of the Italian Riviera.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Trump administration has been accused of being sloppy in selecting its targets for arrest and deportation, with critics accusing them of relying on tattoo symbols and clothing to make their allegations of gang affiliation.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
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Given publicly available information and pages of corrections Tyler provided to the reporters, the editorial board’s commentary is at best sloppy.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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