plaintive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mumford & Sons led the 2010s folk revival that minted a generation of plaintive, earnest singer-songwriter acts atop the charts.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

Gladiator II and Hamnet star Mescal has a huge social media fanbase and mentioned last December he was loving a song called Evelyn, a plaintive folk ballad from Michael's second album Thin White Road.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2026

Testing the human animal’s tolerance for plaintive fiddles, wheezy bagpipes, Peter Coyote and the whispery recitations of diary entries, “The American Revolution” is the most Ken Burns-y of Ken Burns series.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025

I remember one particularly plaintive voice on the phone: “Steven, why are you lying to me? What have I done wrong?”

From Slate • Oct. 29, 2024

Another plaintive love song, she didn’t recognize this one; though as she listened, she began to hear, beyond his voice, the delight of her family.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen