plaintive Play [pleyn-tiv] (adjective) Expressing or evoking sorrow, sadness, or melancholy; mournful or sorrowful in tone or expression. SYNONYMS mournful sad melancholic woeful rueful ANTONYMS cheerful joyful happy The violin's plaintive melody brought tears to her eyes as she remembered the loss of her loved one. Daily Wordshake Friday, September 18th "Coming up short at showtime" PLAY Previous Daily Puzzle Words Friday, September 18th "Have None of It" PLAY Previous Latest Blog Posts August 24th, 2026 15 Words You’ve Probably Been Using Wrong December 18th, 2025 15 English Words That Contradict Themselves December 15th, 2025 Fun Facts About the Dictionary You Probably Didn’t Know December 11th, 2025 Clever Riddles With Answers Hiding in Plain Sight