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
But with their slower pace of life and wistful air of nostalgia, there’s just something about small towns.
—
Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The move marks the end of an era, and it’s sparked a range of online reactions — everything from wistful reminiscing to surprise people still use dial-up in 2025 to wonder at how dramatically our connectivity has advanced from 56K modems to multigigabit connections.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Last night, the rising music hero took on the House of Blues in Anaheim, filling the venue with his nostalgic sounds and wistful anthems as part of his Ultra Sodade tour.
—Lucas Villa, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
But this one came under wistful circumstances: The bubbly star is amid the final leg of her farewell tour and — barring some dramatic change of mind — her Pine Knob concert was her final one in Michigan.
—Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The move marks the end of an era, and it’s sparked a range of online reactions — everything from wistful reminiscing to surprise people still use dial-up in 2025 to wonder at how dramatically our connectivity has advanced from 56K modems to multigigabit connections.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Last night, the rising music hero took on the House of Blues in Anaheim, filling the venue with his nostalgic sounds and wistful anthems as part of his Ultra Sodade tour.
—Lucas Villa, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
But this one came under wistful circumstances: The bubbly star is amid the final leg of her farewell tour and — barring some dramatic change of mind — her Pine Knob concert was her final one in Michigan.
—Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful
Adjective
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This return to tradition isn’t simply nostalgic.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
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Period-appropriate musical elements will help establish the nostalgic atmosphere.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, the top feels like the wearable intersection between multiple dreamy Chloé dresses the singer has worn in recent memory.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
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But if Julia’s delivery of her first child is about as wonderful as pushing a human out of your body can get — even the lighting is dreamy — her second child’s delivery is the exact opposite.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to Amazon reviews, the material is soft with just the right amount of stretch, while the fit is roomy without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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In that high‑tempo, but sloppy matchup, the Wildcats fell 46‑24, with Mari Adams, a top running back, contributing heavily on the ground and showing flashes of explosive play.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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