- unnaturally pale, esp from sickness, grief, etc
- characteristic or suggestive of ill health, unhappiness, etc
- (of light, stars, etc) faint or dim
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
wan1 /wɑn/USA pronunciation
adj., wan•ner, wan•nest.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- unnaturally pale, esp. on account of ill health or fatigue.
wan1
(won),USA pronunciation adj., wan•ner, wan•nest, v., wanned, wan•ning.
adj.
v.i., v.t.
wan′ly, adv.
wan′ness, n.
wan2 (wän),USA pronunciation v. [Obs.]
WAN (wan),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- of an unnatural or sickly pallor;
pallid;
lacking color:His wan face suddenly flushed. - showing or suggesting ill health, fatigue, unhappiness, etc.:a wan look; a wan smile.
- lacking in forcefulness, competence, or effectiveness:their wan attempts to organize the alumni.
- [Archaic.]
- dark or gloomy.
- pale in color or hue.
v.i., v.t.
- to become or make wan.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English wann dark, gloomy
wan′ness, n.
- 1. ashen. See pale 1. 3. feeble, weak, half-hearted, lame.
- 1. ruddy.
wan2 (wän),USA pronunciation v. [Obs.]
- a pt. of win.
WAN (wan),USA pronunciation n.
- ComputingSee wide-area network.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
wan /wɒn/ adj (wanner, wannest)
'wan' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
French Indochina
- ghastly
- lurid
- pale
- pallid
- Wanchüan
- wane
- Wanhsien
- wanton
- Wanxian
- ashy
- banzai
- Cao Yu
- complexionless
- green
- Okinawa
- outwander
- pasty
- peaked
- Ping Hsin
- Taiwan Strait
- tarnish
- Ts'ao Yü
- wander
- wandering
- wandering albatross
- Wandering Jew
- wangle
- wanigan
- waning moon
- Wankel engine
- wannish
- washed-out
- wide-area network
- seawan
- swan