as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pensive
The plain, pensive framings are shot through with vectors of power both official and unofficial: pandemic regulations and the administrative tangles around real estate impose one kind of stricture; tradition and ingrained mores provide another.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
At the moment, we are congregated in an oval of elderly metal folding chairs and are all sitting congruently in pensive, supplicant postures—with hunched shoulders and elbows on knees, our fingers steepled contemplatively and pressed against our lips.
—Barrett Swanson, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Melodically, this pensive, pop-tinged ballad makes the most of Wallen’s polished falsetto and heartfelt vocal rendering.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 6 Jan. 2025
The songs are muscular and syncretic as ever, but the normally peevish rapper doesn’t maintain his trolling energy for the full record, settling into a questioning and pensive pace.
—Stephen Kearse, TIME, 8 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
At the moment, we are congregated in an oval of elderly metal folding chairs and are all sitting congruently in pensive, supplicant postures—with hunched shoulders and elbows on knees, our fingers steepled contemplatively and pressed against our lips.
—Barrett Swanson, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Melodically, this pensive, pop-tinged ballad makes the most of Wallen’s polished falsetto and heartfelt vocal rendering.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 6 Jan. 2025
The songs are muscular and syncretic as ever, but the normally peevish rapper doesn’t maintain his trolling energy for the full record, settling into a questioning and pensive pace.
—Stephen Kearse, TIME, 8 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
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Still, the movie ends on a note of melancholy self-reckoning that lingers.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Feb. 2025
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Over Martin’s delicate playing, her aching rasp resonated to the rafters, a melancholy shudder that still sounded comforting.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That didn’t stop Durant from considering each question before providing a thoughtful answer.—
Darnell Mayberry,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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Additionally, the firm is a long-term, thoughtful and diligent investor known for creating value behind the scenes.—
Kenneth Squire,
CNBC,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Practice reflective silence—After receiving feedback, take a moment to process before responding.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
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Even worse, birds often crash into reflective windows, perceiving them as a continuation of the sky.—
Anelise Chen,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The stories her music tells—now spine-tingling, now gravely contemplative—have won her commissions from top orchestras, Grammy nominations, and more than 11 million plays on Spotify, not to mention exposure at the World Economic Forum in Davos.—
Matthew Gurewitsch,
airmail.news,
8 Feb. 2025
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Image The mood on Friday and Saturday, by contrast, was serene, even contemplative.—
Amelia Nierenberg,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Following his release, Yarden was met by his sister and father in a somber reunion.—
Mohammed Tawfeeq,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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The image of Kurdi, dead and face down in the sand, soon became a somber meme—one that, for a while, helped garner widespread sympathy and financial support for refugees landing by the thousands on Greece’s shores.—
Lauren Markham,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
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