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
The wistful ballad-like track peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
—
Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
Neshat’s Marjan is a bit slippery, oscillating between kind and strict, biting and supportive, self-deprecating and wistful.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Whatever your take on Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis’s wistful drama is not unlike a lot of his films, offering big crowd-pleasing moments alongside some obvious, naïve commentary.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
Neshat’s Marjan is a bit slippery, oscillating between kind and strict, biting and supportive, self-deprecating and wistful.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Whatever your take on Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis’s wistful drama is not unlike a lot of his films, offering big crowd-pleasing moments alongside some obvious, naïve commentary.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wistful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful
Adjective
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Hinging on upbeat, nostalgic pop music that was popular during the global financial crash in the mid- to late-00s, the viral trend shows that from the purse to the playlist, concerns about a potential recession are everywhere.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Other key neutrals are navy (especially paired with crimson), olive (for a pop of nostalgic color) and gray and black.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Steinfeld and Allen announced the engagement on Instagram in November 2024, with a dreamy pic from the elaborate, beachside proposal at sunset.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Apr. 2025
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Here’s how to get a dreamy yard with both. 🥚Don’t have any eggs?—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Had the veteran made sloppy errors or been at blame for any goals conceded, Farke would have been left with nowhere else to turn.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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During Nebraska’s run, Cardenas endured an uncharacteristic sloppy spell, turning over the ball six times in the first half.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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