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
Cabrera was upbeat but hardly turned reflective or wistful.
—
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Riley finally is coming home, returning Sunday with the unveiling of a long overdue statue in whose bronze reflection a couple of wistful realizations can be found.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Over his long career, Robert Duvall brought a wide range of characters to life, from tough Marines to wistful, tender-hearted cowboys.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
The Canes’ national-championship-finalist football team was honored, a wistful bow on our favorite season.
—Greg Cote
february 11, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Riley finally is coming home, returning Sunday with the unveiling of a long overdue statue in whose bronze reflection a couple of wistful realizations can be found.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Over his long career, Robert Duvall brought a wide range of characters to life, from tough Marines to wistful, tender-hearted cowboys.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
The Canes’ national-championship-finalist football team was honored, a wistful bow on our favorite season.
—Greg Cote
february 11, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful
Adjective
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From the satisfying click of a CD player to the quirky trends that defined the decade, here are some nostalgic things from 1996 that could genuinely use a revival in 2026.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
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In fact, they are designed to feel warm, nostalgic and personal.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Golden hour provides the perfect lighting for those dreamy bluebonnet portraits.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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Love Language is a return to classic rom-com form, with heart and humor, as well as a talented ensemble cast that beautifully brings Power’s script to life against a dreamy Chicago backdrop.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Then, just to flub any chance for enjoying some dumb fun with a skilled cast hamming it up, the sloppy story grinds the all-too-predictable, all-too-lame whodunit to a halt, as well.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
18 Mar. 2026
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In other cases, victims have slammed the department for sloppy redactions that revealed their sensitive information.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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