What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
plaintively
Example
She spoke plaintively about her lost cat. [plaintively: adverb]
Example
The dog looked at us plaintively, hoping for a treat. [plaintively: adverb]
wistfully
Example
He looked wistfully at the old photo album, remembering his childhood. [wistfully: adverb]
Example
She sighed wistfully, dreaming of traveling the world. [wistfully: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Wistfully is more commonly used than plaintively in everyday language. Wistfully is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while plaintively is less common and has a more specific usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between plaintively and wistfully?
Both plaintively and wistfully are relatively formal words and may not be commonly used in casual conversations. However, wistfully can be used in a wider range of formality levels than plaintively.
