wistfulness

American  

[wist-fuhl-nis] / ˈwɪst fəl nɪs /

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.

---

Other Word Forms

• unwistfulness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of wistfulness

wistful ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wistfulness

As much as you might plan to stay involved in their lives through frequent video chats and phone calls, mild wistfulness can turn into intense sorrow with each passing month.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

All of the romance and wistfulness of the concert can’t undo years of heartbreak and resentment.

From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2026

When we got home three months later, though, I was surprised by the waves of wistfulness about what I wasn’t coming back to—the sense of accomplishment and purpose and identity, the newsroom camaraderie, the paycheck.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

It’s rare to simultaneously feel red-hot anger and wistfulness, especially when merely reading a document.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2024

After a moment of wistfulness, I try to let go of these memories, let go of my friends from Kunu Yaku, my beautiful cow, all the other sweet parts of my old life.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Related Words

• boredom
• despair
• desperation
• despondency
• ennui
• gloom
• grief
• sorrow