Definitions

plaintive

[pleyn-tiv] / ˈpleɪn tɪv /

ADJECTIVE

pathetic, woebegone

Synonyms

STRONGEST

grief-stricken heartrending melancholy mournful sad sorrowful wistful

WEAK

beefing bellyaching cantankerous crabby cranky disconsolate doleful grievous grousing grumpy lamenting lugubrious out of sorts pathetic piteous pitiful rueful saddening wailing woeful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy joyful

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.

As he sings on “Come Back,” the album’s plaintive opener, “I had a really strange reaction, delayed I think by simple fear, if I don’t listen I can’t hear.”

From Salon • May 15, 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

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

This pageant of puppetry includes a flutter of butterflies, a goat with a plaintive bleat, a menagerie of wild animals and, at one point, a school of glowing fish.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2025

To Amari, his voice sounded a little plaintive, almost as if he needed her to say she liked him.

From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper

Vocabulary lists containing plaintive

Grade 11, List 1

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Things Fall Apart

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Night

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