wistfulness

[wist-fuhl-nis]

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wistfulness¹

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

Related Words

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