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
As zany and wistful as Faye Wong, only shorter.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
So the two spend a warm, wistful stretch in Paris, wandering museums and savoring each other’s company.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
And Rudd, as the happy mid-lifer who can’t help wanting a little more, is appealing in that characteristically boyish, Rudd-like way, though there’s also something deeply wistful about him.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 May 2026
Debussy’s Sonata has a wistful feeling, as the melody moves between soloist and orchestra in a textured, haunting dance.
—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
So the two spend a warm, wistful stretch in Paris, wandering museums and savoring each other’s company.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
And Rudd, as the happy mid-lifer who can’t help wanting a little more, is appealing in that characteristically boyish, Rudd-like way, though there’s also something deeply wistful about him.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 May 2026
Debussy’s Sonata has a wistful feeling, as the melody moves between soloist and orchestra in a textured, haunting dance.
—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful
Adjective
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My mood might dictate a mellow classical or a nostalgic rock n’ roll journey.
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One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray is back on screens reviving his role as the ultimate millennial poster boy in a new campaign for Bubly promoting the brand’s new nostalgic Melted Ice Pop flavor.
Adjective
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Edmund Teske slips between genres with two small, dreamy images that layer a woman’s face over the façades of old buildings, like memories that refuse to fade.
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As if that doesn’t sell a ticket already, trust that Fast’s dreamy vision of friendship, queerness and the occult is a singular experience.
Adjective
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Winning like a Feeney Due to some sloppy defensive errors from the silver-haired infield, the Feeneys allowed more runs in the top of the seventh.
-
The Walpole, Massachusetts native, making his second career start at Fenway Park in front of family and friends, surrendered a two-run, go-ahead homer to ex-Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin in the fifth inning of what was a sloppy, 6-3, loss for the Bombers.
Cite this Entry
“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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