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.
Italy's Sal Da Vinci delivered a sweetly nostalgic slice of 70s disco, with a song dedicated to his wife, Per Sempre, which came fifth.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
I feel nostalgic for sets I never saw at all.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026
The film has strong audience approval, "playing as a feel good, nostalgic appreciation," he said, but "reviews are weak."
From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026
But if you noticed a certain saccharine, nostalgic tone to the Artemis II coverage, it won’t last.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
“He was a hell of a mechanic, by God,” the man said with a nostalgic chuckle.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Definitions 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.
