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.

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

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

The resulting lush and exotic soundscape, featuring plaintive pan flute and sprinkled with birdsong, turned out to be perfect for the game’s spooktastic forest levels.

From New York Times • Nov. 19, 2024

As Rangers people run around with their hair on fire, those words appear more plaintive than ever.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2024

“But I did get to speak to him,” the chaplain argued in a plaintive tone of self-justification.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller