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Wistful vs Plaintive - What's the difference?

wistful | plaintive |

As adjectives the difference between wistful and plaintive

is that wistful is full of yearning or longing while plaintive is sounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.

wistful

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • full of yearning or longing
  • His eyes grew wistful as he recalled his university days.
  • sad and thoughtful
  • Synonyms

    * (thoughtful sadness) (l)

    References

    plaintive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Sounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.