wan
wan Lexical Profile
wan Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Of a complexion or appearance: unnaturally pale, colorless, or drained, giving the impression of illness, exhaustion, or emotional distress.
"After spending a week recovering from the flu, she looked frail and wan in the morning light."
Of a smile, expression, or effort: lacking vitality, enthusiasm, or warmth; forced and feeble.
"Exhausted by the long ordeal, he managed only a wan smile when his visitors arrived."
Of light, stars, or the sky: faint, dim, or weak in brightness.
"A wan winter sun struggled to pierce through the heavy gray clouds."
• verb
To become or make pale, sickly, or colorless in appearance.
"His face wanned noticeably when he heard the distressing news."
• Rhymes for wan
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English wann, which originally meant 'dark, gloomy, or black' (often used in poetry to describe night or ravens) before shifting in Middle English to mean 'pale' or 'sickly' by association with leaden, livid skin tones.