a pang of nostalgia

USAGE SUMMARY

"a pang of nostalgia" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to express a wave of longing or sadness for the past. For example: "I felt a pang of nostalgia as I looked at the picture of my old grade school."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

To my surprise I felt a pang of nostalgia for the frantic Decembers of the past.

The New York Times

With that in mind, and with a pang of nostalgia, we wish the new queen a long, charmed life.

The New York Times

Days like Thursday, when the sports news offers colliding story lines from different eras, it is hard not to feel a pang of nostalgia for a simpler age.

The New York Times - Sports

I get a pang of nostalgia in seeing recordings that I bought almost thirty years ago, using money earned through an inept gardening business: the cover of Karajan's Mahler Ninth bears the scratches of a dozen college-era moves.

The New Yorker

I feel disburdened, I feel good, I feel like Samson awakening to the fact that the shackles have fallen from him, but the relief is necessarily tempered by a pang of nostalgia.

The New Yorker

He allowed himself now a pang of nostalgia -- not regret, but a sweet remembrance of things past, of the excitement of games and pennant races that never paled for him.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Watching the President slurp his Vietnamese noodles like a pro, it's difficult not to feel a pang of premature nostalgia for something greater than his foodie credentials.

The New Yorker

The history shared by these characters becomes so long and fraught and tangled over the course of his hundreds of pages and years (thanks to genetic longevity treatments, Robinson's able to keep the same ensemble of characters around for centuries) that it gives me a pang of longing and nostalgia and bittersweet sense of life's length and brevity.

The New Yorker

At some point or another, most of us have been afflicted by homesickness that pang of nostalgia and longing for familiar people and places.

Duke University

The mere mention of this second home later in life -- a picture or a song you listened to whilst living there -- will be all it takes to bring memories flooding back and that pang of nostalgia and homesickness that we know so well will hit you.

HuffPost

I immediately felt a pang of anxiety.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a pang of nostalgia" to effectively and concisely describe a sudden, sharp feeling of longing for something in the past. It works well when the nostalgia is triggered by a specific event, object, or memory.

Common error

Avoid using "a pang of nostalgia" to describe a general, mild feeling of missing the past. The word "pang" implies a sharp, sudden emotion, so use it when the feeling is particularly intense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pang of nostalgia" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the object of a verb (e.g., "felt a pang") or as a subject complement. Ludwig confirms that it is a valid and usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a pang of nostalgia" effectively conveys a sudden, sharp feeling of longing for the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage in written English. It's most frequently found in News & Media, making it appropriate for neutral register contexts. When using the phrase, remember that "pang" implies an intense, momentary emotion. Related phrases include "a wave of longing for the past" and "a nostalgic twinge". Overall, this phrase provides a concise and impactful way to express a specific type of emotional experience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a nostalgic twinge

Replaces "pang" with "twinge", suggesting a milder but still noticeable feeling of nostalgia.

a wave of longing for the past

Replaces "pang of nostalgia" with a more descriptive phrase emphasizing the feeling of longing and its connection to the past.

a bittersweet recollection

Focuses on the mixed emotions associated with remembering past events, suggesting both happiness and sadness.

a sudden yearning for yesteryear

Uses more evocative language to describe the feeling of wanting to return to a past time.

a poignant memory

Highlights the emotional impact of a particular memory, emphasizing its ability to evoke sadness or regret.

a fleeting sense of days gone by

Emphasizes the temporary nature of the nostalgic feeling and its connection to the past.

a soft spot for bygone eras

Suggests a general fondness for past times, rather than a specific, intense feeling.

a fond remembrance

Focuses on the positive aspects of remembering the past, emphasizing happiness and affection.

a whisper of former times

Uses metaphorical language to describe the subtle, almost imperceptible feeling of nostalgia.

a reflective moment on the past

Shifts the focus to the act of thinking about the past, rather than the emotional response.

FAQs

How can I use "a pang of nostalgia" in a sentence?

You can use "a pang of nostalgia" to describe a sudden feeling of longing for the past. For example, "I felt "a pang of nostalgia" when I saw the old photos from my childhood."

What's a synonym for "a pang of nostalgia"?

Alternatives include "a wave of longing for the past", "a bittersweet recollection", or "a nostalgic twinge". Each emphasizes a slightly different aspect of the feeling.

Is "a pang of nostalgia" formal or informal?

"A pang of nostalgia" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends more on the surrounding language and the overall tone of the writing.

What triggers "a pang of nostalgia"?

A "pang of nostalgia" can be triggered by various things, such as seeing old photographs, hearing a familiar song, revisiting a childhood place, or even smelling a particular scent that evokes past memories.