Synonyms

pining

American

[pahy-ning] / ˈpaɪ nɪŋ /

adjective

suffering with or expressing longing or yearning for someone or something.

Exposing her vulnerability and loneliness, the poet addresses her country as would a pining woman in a letter to her beloved in a distant land.
Her pining vocals on these tracks throb with the loneliness and emptiness of fresh separation.
failing gradually in health or vitality, especially from grief, regret, or longing.

The day after the altercation he took sick, and continued in a pining and languishing condition till his death, which soon ensued.

noun

the act or state of yearning or longing, or of gradually failing in health or vitality.

It’s a story of the pining we all feel for the pleasures of our childhood and the relationships that once held us in safety.

Etymology

Origin of pining

First recorded in 1200–50; pin(e) ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; pin(e) ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

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.

He is also pining for his young children, with the second one arriving in late November.

From Barron's

I was even pining for Mrs. Wigginbottom’s sorry company—anything seemed better than facing another afternoon with our pint-size terror.

From Literature

Reflecting on this new approach to online dating, I wonder if we are going full circle, pining for the traditional dating culture of the pre-internet age?

From BBC

Yet, I find there’s not much in the Golden City worth pining over that hard.

From Salon

Chelsea’s constant whining and pining for Rick was getting old a few episodes ago.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023