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.

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

Tom Petty vowing not to back down sounds plaintive and aspirational.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

Even though the film was shot in France, not Mexico, it has some authentic touches: The movie opens with the plaintive, recorded appeals of a young girl soliciting old appliances and other scrap metal.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 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 he spoke, they could hear loud scraping sounds on the door, followed by little plaintive cries, as if the witch’s children were babies crying for milk.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley