adjective C2 Proficient

wistful

WIHST-fuhl

Wistful (adjective) means Filled with a gentle sadness or longing, especially for something in the past. Example: “She gave a wistful smile as she looked through the old photographs.”

adjective

Filled with a gentle sadness or longing, especially for something in the past.

"She gave a wistful smile as she looked through the old photographs."

"He spoke in a wistful tone about his childhood home."

How to use wistful

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA quiet, sad kind of longing, often for something now gone.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with wishful — wistful is about sad longing or nostalgia, wishful is about hopeful (often unrealistic) desire.

Easily confused with

wishful →

Common pairings

a wistful smile a wistful sigh wistful memories

Word forms

more wistful comparative, most wistful superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She gave a _____ smile as she looked through the old photographs.

Etymology

Probably built from the older word whist ("silent") plus -ful, though its meaning was shaped over time by association with "wishful."

Rhymes for wistful

fistful

See all rhymes for wistful →

Frequently asked questions

What does “wistful” mean?

The word “wistful” means filled with a gentle sadness or longing, especially for something in the past. In plain terms, a quiet, sad kind of longing, often for something now gone.

How do you pronounce “wistful”?

“Wistful” is pronounced WIHST-fuhl (/ˈwɪstfəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “wistful” in a sentence?

Here is “wistful” used in a sentence: “She gave a wistful smile as she looked through the old photographs.”

What part of speech is “wistful”?

“Wistful” is an adjective.

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