wan

1 of 4

adjective

ˈwän How to pronounce wan (audio)
wanner; wannest
Synonyms of wan
1
a
: suggestive of poor health : sickly, pallid
b
: lacking vitality : feeble
2
: dim, faint
3
: languid
a wan smile
wanly adverb
wanness
ˈwän-nəs How to pronounce wan (audio)
noun

wan

2 of 4

verb

wanned; wanning

intransitive verb

: to grow or become pale or sickly

WAN

3 of 4

noun (1)

ˈwan How to pronounce WAN (audio)
: wide area network

wanness

4 of 4

noun (2)

wan·​ness ˈwännə̇s also ˈwȯn- How to pronounce wanness (audio)
plural -es
: the quality or state of being wan

Synonyms of wan

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Adjective

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Examples of wan in a Sentence

Adjective She gave a wan laugh. she looks a little wan after all that tiring work
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
If the land in question has been converted from agricultural fields to golf-course acreage, the net impact of those other factors might actually be lessened, but that’s a wan exculpation. — David Quammen, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2020 The industrial lagers were flavorless, wan and dilute; craft beer, by contrast, would be rich, complex and delicious. — Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 31 Jan. 2020
Noun
Look for a setting called Remote Management, Remote Administration or WAN Access. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Its dual 10 Gbps WAN/LAN ports unlock multi-gigabit fiber connections and high-speed NAS setups, while Multi-Link Operation (MLO) allows devices to use multiple bands simultaneously for ultra-low latency streaming and AR/VR gaming. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wan

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English wann dark, livid

Noun (2)

Middle English wannesse, from wan entry 1 + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wan was in the 13th century

Rhymes for wan

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Browse Nearby Words

wamus
wan
WAN
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Cite this Entry

“Wan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wan. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wan

adjective
ˈwän
wanner; wannest
1
a
: pale entry 1 sense 1b, sickly
a wan complexion
b
: lacking vitality : feeble
2
: dim entry 1 sense 1, faint
a wan light
3
: showing little effort : languid
a wan smile
wanly adverb
wanness
ˈwän-nəs
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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