pensive

adjective

ˈpen(t)-siv How to pronounce pensive (audio)
Definition of pensivenext
as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking rainy days often put her in a pensive mood

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pensive This summer’s take on beachy perfumes encapsulates the calming, pensive, and healing nature of the seashore. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 3 June 2026 John Malkovich looks pensive ahead of his guest appearance in Report on the Blind at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, Sweden on June 22. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 With stories focused on surviving rowdy family, moments of loneliness, struggles with faith, and navigating our deepest human relationships, Johnson’s abilities as a pensive storyteller are conducted masterfully. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2026 That’s followed by some pensive, unaccompanied trumpet, also by Wooley, the former University of Denver Lamont School of Music student who’s gone on to an impactful, creative career. — Bret Saunders, Denver Post, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pensive
  1. melancholy
  2. thoughtful
  3. reflective
  4. contemplative
  5. somber
Adjective
  • That melancholy was discovered by the Romantics, and, in its coarser variation, was equivalent to despair.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 28 June 2026
  • The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • High ceilings and generous proportions create volume, while thoughtful transitions blur the lines between interior and exterior, extending daily life beyond the home’s four walls.
    — GL Homes, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • The bold contrast calls for thoughtful choices of wall color.
    — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • Was came from a working-class industrial city, making music reflective of Detroit’s technological upheaval and economic neglect.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Practically architectural in its precision, her hair is pulled straight back and upwards without a visible part to create a smooth, downright reflective surface from her hairline to the crown.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 3 July 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • At the Signers’ Hall exhibit in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
    — Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • At the Signers' Hall exhibit in Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of contemplative
Adjective
  • Instead, Alfonzo’s first appearance, the culmination of nine tireless years, was somber , stricken by the grief overshadowing what should’ve been a joyous moment in the Dodgers’ to the Padres.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Flying straight from the merry Riverlands into the somber halls of Dragonstone is one hell of a comedown, but Daemon never struggles to access his dark side.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of somber

Browse Nearby Words

pensions
pensive
penstock
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Cite this Entry

“Pensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pensive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pensive

Nglish: Translation of pensive for Spanish Speakers

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