as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the puppy's plaintive expression after we put the toy away was rather amusing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plaintive
John compared Autumn Variations to his own downtempo, plaintive 1970 album Tumbleweed Connection—and reminded him his music career should not be thought of as a constantly ascending escalator.
—
Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
Bettina Hoppe was a hauntingly plaintive Jenny, Kathrin Wehlisch an impishly cross-dressed Brown.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
The plaintive strains of country music made for a fitting companion.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
This latest album is plaintive, with tracks about remembering historical tragedies and overcoming hard times.
—Kate Lopresti, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
Bettina Hoppe was a hauntingly plaintive Jenny, Kathrin Wehlisch an impishly cross-dressed Brown.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
The plaintive strains of country music made for a fitting companion.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
This latest album is plaintive, with tracks about remembering historical tragedies and overcoming hard times.
—Kate Lopresti, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaintive
Adjective
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The slow, mournful piano chords capture the somber bite of the scene with remarkable punch yet also a sobering stillness, and that’s before the elegiac words carry the song off into the sky.—
Daniel Dylan Wray,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2025
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Wynette’s mournful lyrics about a partner who has left—will one protagonist leave the other during the game’s main campaign?—to the sound of lonely, sad acoustic country music is the flip side of Wang Chung’s carefree spirit.—
Brady Gerber,
Vulture,
7 May 2025
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Bright red ribbons decorate the trees and signposts of northwest suburban Niles in anticipation of a funeral procession and service today to honor Chicago Fire Department Capt. David Meyer, who was killed last week while battling a suspicious garage fire in the Austin neighborhood.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
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The funeral Mass for Pope Francis was attended by many world leaders including President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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On the internet, though, he is deemed as the heartbroken, brooding type because ...—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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Agudelo made it through surgery Wednesday to relieve pressure on her brain but only has a 1% chance of ultimately surviving, her heartbroken daughter told the Daily News Thursday.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Still, Levi isn’t bitter and blames the reporter for trying to use Gunn to publicly shame him.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
22 May 2025
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Where Silverman radically departs from Strindberg’s bitter play is in their portrait of Tekla, who is a spikily delightful self-starter instead of the idiot-monster of the original.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plaintive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaintive. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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