hankering
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of hankering
Explanation
A hankering is a strong desire for something. If you have a hankering for pizza, you really want some pizza. This is a folksy, informal word that means about the same thing as yearning. When you have a hankering, you want something. Often, people use this word for food, as in "I have a hankering for sushi!" You could have a hankering for football season, a new pair of shoes, or a trip to the beach. Anything you want could spawn a hankering. This word is related to a sense of hanker that means to want or crave something.
Vocabulary lists containing hankering
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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.
When we had a hankering for tofu, I mooched soybeans from an Illinois farmer friend, cooked them up and formed delectable tofu in a wooden box.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
It’s the absolute goal of every resort operator to satisfy that hankering.
From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026
The trend toward extravagance dovetailed nicely with the emergence of baby boomers and older Gen X–ers with more disposable income, the hankering for less-traveled international locales and a generational shift toward more creature comforts.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 28, 2025
If you find yourself hankering to hang a framed photo or light a candle inside your fridge, it may be time to get help.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2024
She did develop a terrific hankering for a crucifix, though.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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.
