Wistful: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Wistful adjective. Gently sad and longing, especially for something past or out of reach.
How to say it
WIST-ful/ˈwɪstfʊl/
2 syllables, stressed on the first (WIST).
Wistful in a sentence
She gave a wistful look at the sailing boats as the ferry pulled away.
His letters home grew wistful as the second winter set in.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- longing
- nostalgic
- yearning
- pensive
Where wistful comes from
Of uncertain origin, perhaps from the old word wistly, intently, influenced by wishful.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
His letters home grew _____ as the second winter set in.
- wistful
- bemused
- dolorous
Show the answer
wistful: His letters home grew wistful as the second winter set in.