wistfulness

[ wist-fuhl-nis ]
See synonyms for wistfulness on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a mental state or emotion characterized by melancholy, longing, or pensiveness, or an instance of this:The film’s visuals occasionally aspire to the dark contours of a graphic novel, and, at other times, evoke the wistfulness of a watercolor painting.It's an extreme novel that conveys its dark message with heart and many moments of wistfulness.

Origin of wistfulness

1

Other words from wistfulness

  • un·wist·ful·ness, noun

Words Nearby wistfulness

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use wistfulness in a sentence

  • That gave last night's dinner with Ahmadinejad an air of wistfulness tinged with growing fear.

    My Dinner With Ahmadinejad | Stephen Kinzer | September 23, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Winston smiled, though there was a wistfulness in his eyes as he saw the faint bewilderment in his companions' faces.

    Winston of the Prairie | Harold Bindloss
  • For at least five minutes he stood without moving, his whole face softened into a boyish wistfulness.

    Cabin Fever | B. M. Bower
  • She rose at this, turning her eyes about the room as if from the extremity of martyrdom or the wistfulness of some deep thought.

    The Awkward Age | Henry James
  • She always suggested tea before the hour, and her friend always, but with so different a wistfulness, rang for it.

    The Awkward Age | Henry James
  • I was awake at once––wide awake for him: moved by the wistfulness of this appeal to some perception of his need.