pensive Hear it!

pensive Definition

pen·sive (pen′siv)

adjective

  1. thinking deeply or seriously, often of sad or melancholy things
  2. expressing deep thoughtfulness, often with some sadness

Etymology: ME pensif < OFr < penser, to think, reflect < L pensare, to weigh, consider, freq. of pendere, to ponder, weigh, hang: see pendant

pensive Related Forms
pen′·sively adverb pen′·sive·ness noun
pensive Synonyms

pensive

modif.

ruminating, meditative, contemplative, reflective, thoughtful, ruminative, serious, musing, dreamy, wistful, melancholy, abstracted, preoccupied, lost in thought, wrapped in thought; see also thoughtful 1.

pensive suggests a dreamy, often somewhat sad or melancholy concentration of thought the pensive look in her eye; contemplative implies intent concentration of thought, as on some abstract matter, often connoting this as a habitual practice a contemplative scholar; reflective suggests an orderly, often analytical turning over in the mind, as of past events, usually with the aim of reaching some definite understanding after a reflective pause he answered; meditative implies a quiet and sustained musing, without necessarily having a definite intention of understanding or reaching a conclusion a meditative walk in the cloister

pensive Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: Being in such a controversial UFO ' Hot Spot ' area made one feel slightly pensive ( well it did me!
  • rather: But SP does one of his surprise attacks and Pierre is reunited with his rather pensive mother.
  • so: I had spoken the truth, yet I had not told her all my reasons for being so pensive.

Modifies a noun

  • mood: Neil in pensive mood, entering Spike Island Lock, West Bank.
  • face: He glanced from time to time at her sad and pensive face.
  • look: Beware the cult of Bar Vinyl for many have entered and returned with a wayward, pensive look in their eyes.
  • man: Sven Goran Eriksson is a quiet, composed and pensive man.
  • pause: Hmmm [ pensive pause, possibly irritated at Small Talk implicitly ruling out any comparison with Keane ] .
  • thought: His forehead pursed in pensive thought, the young man contemplated Life.

Used with adjective complement

  • look: Pupil BW: * pauses and looks pensive * Are you going to shoot them BW?