wistful

adjective
UK: /ˈwɪst.fəl/
US: /ˈwɪst.fəl/

  1. Sadly longing or thinking about something that happened in the past.

    1. She gave a wistful smile as she remembered her childhood.
    2. Looking at old photos made her feel wistful about those bygone summer days.

  2. Showing a feeling of regretful longing.

    1. He had a wistful look in his eyes as he watched her leave.
    2. There was a wistful quality to her singing, full of longing and sadness.

Synonyms

pensive yearning nostalgic melancholy longing
wistful adverb

  1. In a manner expressing longing or regret.

    1. She smiled wistful as she remembered her first love.
    2. He gazed wistful out the window, thinking of past adventures and travels.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "wistful" in English means: Sadly longing or thinking about something that happened in the past., Showing a feeling of regretful longing..

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

Synonyms for "wistful": pensive, yearning, nostalgic, melancholy, longing.

Example usage of "wistful": "She gave a wistful smile as she remembered her childhood.". More examples on the page.