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wistful

[ wist-fuhl ]

/ ˈwɪst fəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR wistful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning.

pensive, especially in a melancholy way.

Origin of wistful

1605–15; obsolete wist quiet, silent, attentive (variant of whist²) + -ful

SYNONYMS FOR wistful

2 reflective, musing, meditative, forlorn.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR wistful ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM wistful

wist·ful·ly, adverb wist·ful·ness, noun un·wist·ful, adjective un·wist·ful·ly, adverb

un·wist·ful·ness, noun

Words nearby wistful

wissler, wissler's syndrome, wist, wister, wisteria, wistful, wisła, wit, witan, witblits, witch

Example sentences from the Web for wistfulness

But the words “responsible” and “Republican” are no longer typeable together except in moods of mockery, or at least wistfulness.

Obama's Budget Betrayal |Eric Alterman |February 15, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
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 |DAILY BEAST
Always gentle to the gentle Ira, to-day his voice carried an added tenderness which stirred her to vague unrest and wistfulness.

The Game and the Candle |Eleanor M. Ingram
He continued to smile, but his smile was now changed to wistfulness under that pitiful regard of hers.

The Lion's Skin |Rafael Sabatini

As she did so, the old man turned and Violet was astonished at the wistfulness with which he viewed her.

The Golden Slipper |Anna Katharine Green
Gazing at her, Randalin's admiration mounted to wistfulness.

The Ward of King Canute |Ottilie A. Liljencrantz
Almost at once, however, the pride died away, and the wistfulness returned.

Miss Billy's Decision |Eleanor H. Porter

British Dictionary definitions for wistfulness

wistful

/ (ˈwɪstfʊl) /

adjective

sadly pensive, esp about something yearned for

Derived forms of wistful

wistfully, adverb wistfulness, noun