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.
Next up came the second part’s “Say It’s Not You,” George Jones’s plaintive, twangy ballad about a man’s fears that his gal is being unfaithful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The most egregious case is Sturgis’ Ru, who transforms over the course of the play from a jittery wreck into a vengeful, plaintive monster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
He's done so much in the Scotland jersey, but the "Super John McGinn" song has now become more of a plaintive cry than a statement of fact.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Faith and modesty were qualities in all Heynis’s performances, delivered in a plaintive and haunting tone that is not quite like any other.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026
He took photographs of a tarantula, plaintive sunsets, windswept dunes, the long curve of empty coastline.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Vocabulary lists containing plaintive
Grade 11, List 1
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Things Fall Apart
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Night
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