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.
They hear the plaintive calls: Have you seen my mother, my husband, my children?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 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
Vida Miknevičiūtė’s bright, plaintive soprano made the Empress’s final triumph especially powerful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
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
It can be a hearty or a plaintive tune, depending on your mood.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
Vocabulary lists containing plaintive
Grade 11, List 1
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Things Fall Apart
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Night
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