wistful
Americanadjective
-
characterized by melancholy or longing.
-
pensive, especially in a melancholy way.
- Synonyms:
- forlorn, meditative, musing, contemplative, reflective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wistful
First recorded in 1605–15; obsolete wist “quiet, silent, attentive” (variant of whist 2 ) + -ful
Explanation
Only one letter separates the two words, but "wishful" is having hope for something, and wistful is having sadness or melancholy about something. "Wist" isn't even a word that's used anymore, but you can still be wistful. People who appear wistful often show a longing for something or a look of serious reflection. One way to describe the adjective wistful is as the sad appearance of someone looking back and thinking "if only..." A thoughtful or pensive mood centered on something good in the past that is missed or something not so good in the present that could have been better "if only" something had gone differently — these things make for a wistful outlook.
Vocabulary lists containing wistful
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the wistful, lovelorn loner, it’s an imperative reminder that being attached at the hip can still be isolating, no matter how much two people think alike.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Back then, they were “a fount of car games, sing-alongs, impassioned debates, and wistful dreaming-out-loud.”
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
People who have spoken to him in recent months say the prince has seemed increasingly wistful about his homeland and is optimistic about how he is viewed there.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
With its nostalgically-painted, golden-maned horses, wistful French chanson music wafting as it turns, the Carrousel de St Pierre, by the venerated Sacre Coeur Church, is a firm favourite amongst tourists to Paris.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Just smoking on his corncob pipe and looking kind of wistful.
From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
