hanker
verb (used without object)
to have a restless or incessant longing (often followed by after, for, or an infinitive).
have been hankering
-
present perfect progressiveof hanker.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Fans have been hankering for a follow-up to GTA 5 after it was released back in 2013, and became one of the best-selling games of all time.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Nebraska: The Huskers have been hankering for a ranking and were in prove-it mode after their 12-0 start was spoiled by a dismal offensive showing at Michigan State.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 4, 2022
This will hearten the US who have been hankering after a robust verification system for years.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2015
Then you're in the humour to be told what you have been hankering to know so long—where Mackaye and I go at night.
From Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet An Autobiography by Thomas Hughes
It is the novel or romance I have been hankering after so long, written in blank verse, in the autobiographical form; the heroine, an artist woman—not a painter, mind.
From The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume II by Sir Frederic G. (Frederic George) Kenyon
