wistfully
gb/wˈɪstfəli/ us/wˈɪstfəli/
C1
Inglês
Acepções
0 acepção
adverb
C1
property
1
with sad longing or nostalgia
in a way that shows you miss or want something
Padrão de uso:
[someone] + [looks/smiles/thinks/speaks] wistfully (+ at/of/about [something])
Erro comum:
Do not use it for strong grief or anger; it usually suggests gentle sadness and longing.
Sinônimos
longingly (focuses on wanting something.)
|
nostalgically (emphasizes fond feelings about the past.)
|
yearningly (suggests a stronger desire.)
|
ruefully (adds a sense of regret.)
Antônimos
cheerfully (shows happiness rather than longing.)
|
contentedly (shows satisfaction rather than wanting more.)
Colocações
look wistfully
|smile wistfully
|gaze wistfully
|glance wistfully
|stare wistfully
|think wistfully
|speak wistfully
|remember wistfully
|watch wistfully
|dream wistfully
Temas
emotions
|memories
|relationships
Exemplos
- He looked wistfully at the old house where he grew up.
- She spoke wistfully about the summers she spent by the sea.
- They watched the train leave, wistfully imagining a different life.
Exemplos para estudantes
- I looked wistfully at my childhood photos.
- She smiled wistfully when she heard the song.
adverb
C1
property
2
quietly sad and thoughtful
in a gentle, slightly sad way
Padrão de uso:
[someone] + [smiles/laughs/sighs] wistfully
Erro comum:
This use is mild and reflective; for strong sadness, prefer 'sadly' or 'tragically'.
Sinônimos
sadly (more general; may sound less reflective.)
|
pensively (focuses on thoughtful reflection rather than emotion.)
|
regretfully (highlights regret more directly.)
Antônimos
happily (expresses positive emotion rather than gentle sadness.)
|
brightly (suggests an upbeat, lively tone.)
Colocações
smile wistfully
|laugh wistfully
|sigh wistfully
|nod wistfully
|pause wistfully
|say wistfully
Temas
emotions
|conversation
Exemplos
- He smiled wistfully, as if remembering something he didn’t want to explain.
- She laughed wistfully and changed the subject.
- The coach shook his head wistfully at how quickly the season had ended.
Exemplos para estudantes
- He sighed wistfully.
- She spoke wistfully for a moment.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
wistfully
AFI
GB/wˈɪstfəli/
US/wˈɪstfəli/
Sílabas e tonicidade
wist - fully (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (wist)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: wistfully
- Plural: wistfullies
Expressões
look wistfully at [something]
1/lˈʊk wˈɪstfəli ˈæt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
show longing by looking
to look at something and show you want or miss it
Exemplos
- She looked wistfully at the empty stage after the concert.
- He looked wistfully at the menu, knowing he couldn’t afford dessert.
- They looked wistfully at the departing plane.
smile wistfully
1/smˈaɪl wˈɪstfəli/
fixed phrase
smile with gentle longing
to smile a little sadly because you miss something
Exemplos
- She smiled wistfully when she heard their old song.
- He smiled wistfully and said, “Those were good days.”
- They smiled wistfully at the memory and moved on.
speak wistfully of/about [something]
1/spˈik wˈɪstfəli oʊfəbˌaʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
talk with nostalgia and longing
to talk about something you miss
Exemplos
- She spoke wistfully about the years they lived abroad.
- He spoke wistfully of his first job and the friends he made there.
- They spoke wistfully about how easy everything seemed back then.