What does “wistful” mean?
- 1
adjectivea little sad because you are thinking about something you cannot have or that is in the past
She gave a wistful smile as she looked at old photos.
Wistful at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- C2 (proficient)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈwɪstfəl/ · WIST-ful
How to use “wistful” correctly
Gentler than “sad”: it suggests quiet longing or nostalgia.
Common phrases with “wistful”
- a wistful smile
- wistful look
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- nostalgic
- longing
- melancholy
Word family
- wistfully
“wistful” is on these word lists
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