- present participle of crave.
craving
Americannoun
noun
Synonym Usage
See desire.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of craving
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at crave, -ing 1
Explanation
A craving is an intense desire for something really particular. If you have a craving for pickled herring, a tuna sandwich just won't do. Must. Have. Pickled. Herring. Craving is the noun that comes from the verb crave, which comes from the Old English word crafian, meaning "to demand, beg." When we talk about cravings, it's almost like the body and not the mind that is demanding something. Pregnant women famously have crazy cravings, sending their partners to the store in the middle of the night for pickles or toffee. Some people have cravings for power or fame: the desire is so strong they can't let it go.
Vocabulary lists containing craving
Eat Your Words
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Sugar Changed the World
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The Tale of Despereaux
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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.
Craving enough that, on that seven-inch snow morning, it was the thing that got me out the door.
From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025
Craving a vacation but don’t have the time to fly to a different state or country?
From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023
Craving a modern miracle, she gazes upon the billboard and insists she can see one.
From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2021
Craving respect, Richard gets into the “champion-raising business,” devising a plan for Venus and Serena’s success and sticking to it even when it defies convention.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2021
Craving certain specific foods had almost devastated her.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
