WISTFUL Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

wistful

adjective

Definition of wistful

as in nostalgic

showing or evoking a sad longing for an often idealized past She felt wistful looking through her college yearbook, remembering old friends she had not seen in decades.

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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 wistful So when word dropped on September 1st that the nearly 200-year-old museum was closing at the end of the month, thousands of families began a wistful pilgrimage, to make one final visit. — Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026 The resulting film is somehow weirder, wondrous, and more wistful than what even that logline suggests. — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026 The Giants coach sounded wistful when talking about Kaepernick and the lost chance to team up with the quarterback who had nearly denied him a Super Bowl ring. — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 In late summer, Gap launched a new suite of perfumes modelled off the brand’s beloved fragrances of the nineteen-nineties—Grass, Heaven, Dream, and Om—in no small part to appeal to wistful elder millennials who miss spritzing themselves at the mall. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wistful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wistful

Adjective

Its concept connects nostalgic dance music with contemporary party culture, creating a record designed to encourage movement and audience participation.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
However, with the rise of bag charms and nostalgic jewelry, the brand has found staying power past 2020 and continues to expand.

— Madison Collins, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of nostalgic

Adjective

Even her transformation into Glinda the Good Witch for Wicked, which saw her trade her familiar brunette shade for a dreamy, buttery blonde, kept strong on the silhouette.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Huts may look traditional, but inside the design is dangerously dreamy.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of dreamy

Adjective

Utah's most successful drive ended at the halftime break when Dillon Curtis missed a 34-yard field goalie to a sloppy snap-and-hold.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
And the need to blend all the sound together right before the ear canal can make the more complex instrumentation sound more sloppy than precise.

— Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of sloppy

Browse Nearby Words

wispy

wistful

wit

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Style

“Wistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wistful. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wistful

adjective

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