nostalgic
Americanadjective
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nostalgic
Explanation
You feel nostalgic when you miss your childhood, people you know but haven't seen in a while or the things that bring you comfort, like the nostalgic memories you feel when you listen to the songs you loved when you were little. The adjective nostalgic is often used to describe someone who is homesick and wants to be back at home with family. It always involves a wistful memory of times that now seem better or simpler. A nostalgic feeling can involve home and family, but it can also involve a longing for long-gone moments. Even beloved things, such as old TV shows or athletes from a different era may provoke the feeling of nostalgia.
Vocabulary lists containing nostalgic
List 1
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The Lightning Thief
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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.
"I must say this makes me feel a bit nostalgic, because the event is always immediate. Anticipation creates that sense of longing which has now disappeared."
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
I’m as nostalgic as the next Gen X radio obsessive who remembers long rides in my 1980s Mazda, searching the AM spectrum for engaging chatter.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Consuming Disney content is not just nostalgic, not just entertaining, but it gives you that sense of belonging.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Plus, DTC caviar puts the sector’s premium prices in question and Gap partners with a rookie boy band for a nostalgic mall tour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
This became the backdrop for the montage of nostalgic childhood memories that played in my mind.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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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.
