as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
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Recent Examples of pensive
David's more reserved, pensive demeanor is no match for Benji's charm and charisma — much of which is masking his struggles with his mental health.
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Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2024
As the title suggests, this is a show of reflection in every sense of the word, pensive but ultimately optimistic.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Her expression is at once nervy and pensive, the scholar and the militant in full and equal view.
—Hazlitt, 4 Sep. 2024
The other key asset to the film is Warren Ellis’ score, which starts out pensive and quietly troubling before shifting almost imperceptibly into a much more emotional vein with the surge of feeling that accompanies the forward time jumps.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pensive 
Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2024
As the title suggests, this is a show of reflection in every sense of the word, pensive but ultimately optimistic.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Her expression is at once nervy and pensive, the scholar and the militant in full and equal view.
—Hazlitt, 4 Sep. 2024
The other key asset to the film is Warren Ellis’ score, which starts out pensive and quietly troubling before shifting almost imperceptibly into a much more emotional vein with the surge of feeling that accompanies the forward time jumps.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
Adjective
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Though the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays were played by men in his day, Mey’s teachers had a hard time accepting a femme-presenting nonbinary person in the role of the melancholy Dane.Daniel Bromfield, The Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2024
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In 2020, Rateliff released a solo album, his third overall and his first since starting the Night Sweats, with a more melancholy sound that recalled his early-career work.Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Photo: Lauren Trujillo The thoughtful fashion didn’t end at the red carpet, either.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
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Perfect pairings: As an Eau de Toilette, Cherry Blossom benefits significantly from thoughtful layering to enhance its delicate nature and extend its presence throughout the day.Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The blood-boiling conversation is reflective of how these girls — most of them rape victims — are perceived by the system.Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
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The rhythmic fist pumps that have taken the sports world by storm are reflective of a wider cultural shift that's been sweeping the country in the wake of Trump's political comeback.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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As readers of our September print issue know, this contemplative space was created for us by two women of singular grace and taste: Sheila Chandra, mythopoetic mesmer, and Lera Lynn, spare queen of post-Americana.Lera Lynn |, SPIN, 22 Nov. 2024
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For both writers — and this is true for Renaissance humanism at large — there is no contemplative life without the active life — the two modes necessarily co-exist.Peter Rubin, Longreads, 13 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Lego Horizon Adventures, available for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC, rebuilds 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn in the Lego universe, transforming the somber and complex Horizon into something simpler, a bit sillier and more kid-friendly.Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
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This seems to be part of the reason The City and Its Uncertain Walls is such an unnaturally somber book.Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pensive
Cite this Entry
“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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