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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Recent Examples of plaintive
The plaintive strains of country music made for a fitting companion.
—
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
On the new Foxes in the Snow, a solo album that benches his longtime backing band the 400 Unit in favor of just his plaintive voice and Martin acoustic guitar, Isbell seems to realize that not every song needs to be an opus.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025
The scenes that follow — accompanied by the plaintive strings of composer Suad Bushnaq’s soulful orchestral score — are genuinely awe-inspiring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025
The film is a lolling, ruminating afternoon bathed in sunlight and plaintive reflection as Peter vividly recalls interactions with names that will be familiar to you, like Susan Sontag, and other intellectuals and creators of the period.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
On the new Foxes in the Snow, a solo album that benches his longtime backing band the 400 Unit in favor of just his plaintive voice and Martin acoustic guitar, Isbell seems to realize that not every song needs to be an opus.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025
The scenes that follow — accompanied by the plaintive strings of composer Suad Bushnaq’s soulful orchestral score — are genuinely awe-inspiring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025
The film is a lolling, ruminating afternoon bathed in sunlight and plaintive reflection as Peter vividly recalls interactions with names that will be familiar to you, like Susan Sontag, and other intellectuals and creators of the period.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plaintive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plaintive
Adjective
-
At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Season four will be the last for The Righteous Gemstones, and there are signs in this mournful (and vulgar/hilarious) episode that this extremely American empire may be going the way of Kelvin’s treehouse.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
The squads will rotate funeral duty to maintain their health.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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Many of the items had been burned, suggesting that they might have been torched upon a funeral pyre, but no human remains were found amid the assemblage.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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King was on an errand to pick up a snack for his mom when he was shot, heartbroken relatives said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Downs recovered from her injuries but remained heartbroken over the loss of her friends and overwhelmed with survivor's guilt.—
Laurel Morales,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The United States and the Soviet Union were bitter adversaries during the four decade-long Cold War, competing for influence on multiple continents and arming their respective proxies from as far afield as Afghanistan, Angola, and Nicaragua in order to enhance their power at the other's expense.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Then the game jumps ahead, to a snowier and more bitter world.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plaintive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plaintive. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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