nos·tal·gic
nä-ˈstal-jik 
nə-,
also nȯ-,
nō-;
nə-ˈstäl-
: feeling or inspiring nostalgia: such as
a
: longing for or thinking fondly of a past time or condition
As we drove through the French countryside, I couldn't help being not just nostalgic, but wistful, about how simple wine was 25 years ago.—
Matt Kramer
Matt KramerThe protest mostly featured the usual suspects—anti-capitalists, environmentalists, union types chanting "Solidarity," and aging hippies nostalgic for their youth.—Margaret Wente
Margaret Wente
b
: evocative of a longed-for past time or condition
He loved good stories, especially nostalgic ones from his boyhood, and relished the telling.—Peter Schworm
Peter SchwormHe soon parlayed his nostalgic pictures into a business that would eventually include writing, antique collecting, museum operations, and reproduction-furniture making.—David K. Leff
David K. Leff
nostalgically
adverb
thinking nostalgically of the summers they spent together
looking back nostalgically on happier times
plural nostalgics
: someone who longs for a past time or condition : a person given to nostalgia
There are nostalgics on both sides who felt better with a predictably snarling standoff than with the uncertain paths now opening.—Flora Lewis
Flora LewisEventually it would become an empty shell, a refuge for nostalgics unable to accept the challenge facing all organizations in a changing world; adapt or perish.—John L. H. Keep
John L. H. KeepExamples of nostalgic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Considering the Aritzia client in the design process, the sneaker blends nostalgic sport heritage with fashion-forward sensibility.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025
Ian Volner, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
The Irish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist presents the originals beneath a veil of ambience and reverb, embedding a nostalgic in the fabric of her homespun renditions.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nostalgic
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Adjective
The lineup features plenty of nostalgic nods to dating through the decades, haunt-worthy game show taglines and quite a few varieties of fake facial hair.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Considering the Aritzia client in the design process, the sneaker blends nostalgic sport heritage with fashion-forward sensibility.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
In combining the nostalgic with the contemporary, Established & Sons is living up to the premise contained in its name, a commitment to mixing new and old that has distinguished the brand from the beginning.
—Ian Volner, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
The Irish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist presents the originals beneath a veil of ambience and reverb, embedding a nostalgic in the fabric of her homespun renditions.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nostalgic
Cite this Entry
“Nostalgic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nostalgic. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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