wan
- 01 C1 Advanced
looking pale and weak, usually because you are ill or very tired.
suggestive of poor health, fatigue, or unhappiness through a pale or sickly complexion.
Simple“He looked wan and tired after spending three days in the hospital.”
In context“The patient's wan countenance concerned the physician, suggesting that the recovery was not progressing as swiftly as the initial reports indicated.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
weak or lacking energy, like a faint light or a sad smile.
lacking brightness, intensity, or vigour; often used to describe light or emotional expressions.
Simple“She gave a wan smile that showed she wasn't really happy.”
In context“A wan light filtered through the heavy clouds, barely illuminating the desolate landscape that stretched toward the horizon.”
“However, their influence waned as the new territories were permanently incorporated into the Roman world.”
“If she never scored another US Hot 100 hit, the broader celebrity she had established in the late 70s and early 80s never waned for the rest of her life.”