wan

The early September sun made the crowd look sweaty and the speakers wan.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

Our mother did reappear, looking wan and smiling bravely, and we had to pretend that she was fine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2025

“We watched them install it one night. It’s not like they talk to us or ask us for permission,” he said, a wan smile on his face.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025

But this show is too slight, too wan, to bear the weight of analytical dissection.

From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2024

“What ails thee, Ophelia? You are wan and distracted today.”

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

But if the orchestrations, by Mr. Kitt and Michael Starobin, are atypically wan, Mr. Kitt’s lyrics are even wanner.

From New York Times ● Mar. 1, 2019

Says one Bostonian who knows her well: "There isn't anyone wanner or dearer, when she's feeling good."

From Time Magazine Archive

Carl's entrances into the Coliseum may have been slightly louder, but Edwin's were appreciably wanner.

From Time Magazine Archive

When she was out in the drizzle, however, Her Majesty's smile grew wanner and wanner, and sometimes disappeared.

From Time Magazine Archive

A makeshift signal flag—a red knitted leg wanner of the sort worn by dancers— was knotted to the end of an alder branch by the vehicle's rear exit.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Their conduct merits our wannest esteem; and I beg leave to add, that I think the public will do well to make them a handsome gratuity.

From The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart

To get the two hundred pounds required to pay off the mortgage upon 'Bachelors' Hall,' Clare addressed himself first to Lord Radstock, whom he looked upon as one of his wannest and most sincere friends.

From The Life of John Clare by Frederick Martin

I cannot conclude this relation without expressing my wannest thanks to Lord Stirling, for the full patronage I received from him in every stage of the enterprize.

From The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart

My brother," cried Henry, with the wannest pleasure, "you have played me the most agreeable trick in the world, and have showed me the full confidence I may place in you.

From Historical Tales, Vol. 4 (of 15) The Romance of Reality by Charles Morris

At these words there was a general smile even on the wannest and most pain-pinched face, for they struck the men as very droll.

From Miss Lou by Edward Payson Roe

Mademoiselle was poking at a rusty stove that smoked a little and wanned the room indifferently.

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

Not precisely royal fare, but nourishing; it tasted good enough and wanned the belly.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Around noon, when the air had wanned, Frightful gave the little eyas the last bites of the rat.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

A thrill of affection for this place wanned the young man.

From The Spoilers by Rex Ellingwood Beach

A strangely genial smile wanned and brightened his usually grave cold face, and certainly at that moment Erle Palma showed one aspect of his nature never exhibited before to any human being.

From Infelice by Augusta J. (Augusta Jane) Evans

It had a slim chance of wanning its fight.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was a French sportwriter just wanning up to the famed Tour de France, the month-long bicycle race that attracts the world's largest crowds.

From Time Magazine Archive

Stark Young takes a view of art which is wanning to those tired of abstruse and cerebral esthetics.

From Time Magazine Archive

“So I work for a relief agency,” she said, wanning up.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

She sat holding it in her hand, while the music penetrated her whole being like an effulgence, wanning and brightening the dark places of her soul.

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin