Vished

Vished is a neologism used to describe a specific emotional state characterized by bittersweet longing and a tempered form of envy in response to someone else’s experiences, achievements, or opportunities. It captures a mix of wistfulness, admiration, and unfulfilled desire without fully negating goodwill toward others.

Etymology and form: The term blends elements of wistful longing with envy. It emerged in online communities in the early 2010s and has since been used as an adjective (vished), a past participle (vished), and to form the present participle (vishing) in informal writing. Its usage remains informal and primarily in personal, conversational, or creative contexts.

Usage: Vished signals a nuanced emotional state not fully captured by standard terms like envy or longing. It often appears in social media commentary, memoir-like prose, or dialogues where a speaker acknowledges both admiration and personal limitation. Examples: “She felt vished watching their travel photos, wishing she could join them.” “He was vished by his friend’s career milestone, yet genuinely congratulated them.”

See also: wistfulness, envy, saudade, longing.