yearning
Americannoun
-
deep longing, especially when accompanied by tenderness or sadness.
a widower's yearning for his wife.
-
an instance of such longing.
noun
Synonym Usage
See desire.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of yearning
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English gierninge; equivalent to yearn + -ing 1
Explanation
A yearning is a strong desire. If you have a yearning to travel in Africa, it means that you dream about it and intensely hope that one day you'll end up there. A strong longing for something is a yearning for it. If you have a yearning for ice cream, it probably means that you've gone a long time without any and are almost desperate to taste some. The Old English root of the words yearn and yearning is georn, which means "eager or desirous."
Vocabulary lists containing yearning
100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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"Joyas Voladoras" by Brian Doyle
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Achievement First 7th Grade IA 1 Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It is very difficult for the younger generation to find that kind of love. They are yearning for it, they seek it in films."
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Sometimes she’s a scrambling mom with a troubled kid; sometimes she’s an awkward umpire learning on the job; sometimes she’s just yearning.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Our yearning to forget is superseded by our desire to understand why things are the way they are.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
“Of course there are specific regions that depend economically on the troops. But there is also a growing yearning for more national responsibility among voters,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
The yearning for authenticity did not stop there.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
