nostalgic

1 of 2

adjective

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

The protest mostly featured the usual suspects—anti-capitalists, environmentalists, union types chanting "Solidarity," and aging hippies nostalgic for their youth.

—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

He soon parlayed his nostalgic pictures into a business that would eventually include writing, antique collecting, museum operations, and reproduction-furniture making.

—David K. Leff

nostalgically

nä-ˈstal-ji-k(ə-)lē 

nə-

also nȯ-, 

nō-;

nə-ˈstäl-

adverb

thinking nostalgically of the summers they spent together

looking back nostalgically on happier times

nostalgic

2 of 2

noun

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

Eventually 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

Examples of nostalgic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Hanif Abdurraqib considers our nostalgic longing for inconvenience. —Literary Hub, 25 Apr. 2026

Taking place Friday nights from June through late August, the series invites families, friends and film lovers to gather under the stars for a mix of recent releases and nostalgic favorites, all set against the backdrop of Orange County’s regional parks. —Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026

Noun

Route 66 has been called America’s Main Street, a moniker that fuels nostalgics who like to talk about simpler times and good days gone by. —Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

Falling back on the nostalgic doesn’t mean giving up on fancy or fun. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

nostalg(ia) + -ic entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of nostalgic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1874, in the meaning defined above