pensive

adjective
UK: /ˈpɛnsɪv/
US: /ˈpɛnsɪv/

  1. Quietly thoughtful, often with a hint of sadness.

    1. She was pensive after reading the sad story.
    2. The artist sat by the window, a pensive look on his face as he sketched the rainy street.

  2. Engaged in deep or serious thought, often about something important or difficult.

    1. He grew pensive when the topic of climate change arose.
    2. After the difficult meeting, she remained pensive, considering the implications of the decision.

Synonyms

thoughtful reflective contemplative meditative

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pensive" in English means: Quietly thoughtful, often with a hint of sadness., Engaged in deep or serious thought, often about something important or difficult..

The phonetic transcription of "pensive" is /ˈpɛnsɪv/ in British English and /ˈpɛnsɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pensive": thoughtful, reflective, contemplative, meditative.

Example usage of "pensive": "She was pensive after reading the sad story.". More examples on the page.