longing

[ lawng-ing, long- ]

/ ˈlɔŋ ɪŋ, ˈlɒŋ- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR longing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

strong, persistent desire or craving, especially for something unattainable or distant: filled with longing for home.

an instance of this: a sudden longing to see old friends.

adjective

having or characterized by persistent or earnest desire: a longing look.

Nearby words

longhorn, longi-, longicaudal, longicorn, longies, longing, longinus, longipennate, longirostral, longish, longissimus capitis muscle

Origin of longing

before 1000; Middle English; Old English langung; see long², -ing¹

SYNONYMS FOR longing

1 aspiration.

3 desirous, yearning.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR longing ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR longing

1 apathy.

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Related forms

long·ing·ly, adverblong·ing·ness, noun

Synonym study

1. See desire.

Definition for longing (2 of 3)

long

[ lawng, long ]

/ lɔŋ, lɒŋ /

verb (used without object)

to have an earnest or strong desire or craving; yearn: to long for spring; to long to return home.

Origin of long

before 900; Middle English longen, Old English langian grow longer, yearn after, summon; see long¹

SYNONYMS FOR long

See yearn.

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Definition for longing (3 of 3)

long

[ lawng, long ]

/ lɔŋ, lɒŋ /

verb (used without object)

Archaic. to be suitable or fitting.

Obsolete. to be the possession; belong.

Origin of long

1150–1200; Middle English longen to be suitable or proper, belong, derivative of long on account (of), attributable (to), dependent (on), Old English gelang belonging (to), dependent (on); see along

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for longing

It was about the hope and longing for redemption and reconciliation that lies somewhere within each of us.
During Advent, Lots of Waiting, But Not Enough Hope|Gene Robinson|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It requires him to let go of Lori and his longing for the past.
The Walking Dead’s Luke Skywalker: Rick Grimes Is the Perfect Modern-Day Mythical Hero|Regina Lizik|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His judgments are not rash or driven by insecurity, fear, and a longing for the past.
The Walking Dead’s Luke Skywalker: Rick Grimes Is the Perfect Modern-Day Mythical Hero|Regina Lizik|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And there is Simon, the male escort, who finds himself fighting against the longing he long ago swore off.
Is ‘Satisfaction’ a Love Story That’s Too Real About Sex and Marriage?|David Masciotra|September 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And you quote de Tocqueville at the front of your book, “Every American is eaten up with a longing to rise.”
When New York City Hit Its Stride|Allen Barra|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There came into her heart a longing that Ludwell Cary should see the matter truly.
Lewis Rand|Mary Johnston
Sometimes it seemed as if she were tugging at her moorings, longing to be off on the long, long cruise.
Through the South Seas with Jack London|Martin Johnson
Since her visit to the Southards the longing to be at home remained with her.
Grace Harlowe's First Year at Overton College|Jessie Graham Flower
Would she take all this treasured, stored-up love and longing which he was aching to cast at her feet?
The Tree of Knowledge|Mrs. Baillie Reynolds
Much as she had been longing for his coming, her prayer now was that he should not return until these men were imprisoned.
Heart of the Blue Ridge|Waldron Baily

British Dictionary definitions for longing (1 of 6)

longing

/ (ˈlɒŋɪŋ) /

noun

a prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

adjective

having or showing desire or needa longing look

Derived Forms

longingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for longing (2 of 6)

Long

/ (lɒŋ) /

noun

Crawford Williamson. 1815–78, US surgeon. He was the first to use ether as an anaesthetic

British Dictionary definitions for longing (3 of 6)

long

/ (lɒŋ) /

adjective

having relatively great extent in space on a horizontal plane

having relatively great duration in time

(postpositive) of a specified number of units in extent or durationthree hours long
(in combination)a two-foot-long line

having or consisting of a relatively large number of items or partsa long list

having greater than the average or expected rangea long memory

being the longer or longest of alternativesthe long way to the bank

having more than the average or usual quantity, extent, or durationa long match

seeming to occupy a greater time than is really soshe spent a long afternoon waiting in the departure lounge

intense or thorough (esp in the phrase a long look)

(of drinks) containing a large quantity of nonalcoholic beverage

(of a garment) reaching to the wearer's ankles

informal (foll by on) plentifully supplied or endowed (with)long on good ideas

phonetics (of a speech sound, esp a vowel)

of relatively considerable duration
classified as long, as distinguished from the quality of other vowels
(in popular usage) denoting the qualities of the five English vowels in such words as mate, mete, mite, moat, moot, and mute

from end to end; lengthwise

unlikely to win, happen, succeed, etca long chance

prosody

denoting a vowel of relatively great duration or (esp in classical verse) followed by more than one consonant
denoting a syllable containing such a vowel
(in verse that is not quantitative) carrying the emphasis or ictus

finance having or characterized by large holdings of securities or commodities in anticipation of rising pricesa long position

cricket (of a fielding position) near the boundarylong leg

informal (of people) tall and slender

in the long run See run (def. 82)

long in the tooth informal old or ageing

adverb

for a certain time or periodhow long will it last?

for or during an extensive period of timelong into the next year

at a distant time; quite a bit of timelong before I met you; long ago

finance into a position with more security or commodity holdings than are required by sale contracts and therefore dependent on rising prices for profitto go long

as long as or so long as

for or during just the length of time that
inasmuch as; since
provided that; if

no longer not any more; formerly but not now

noun

a long time (esp in the phrase for long)

a relatively long thing, such as a signal in Morse code

a clothing size for tall people, esp in trousers

phonetics a long vowel or syllable

finance a person with large holdings of a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in its price; bull

music a note common in medieval music but now obsolete, having the time value of two breves

before long soon

the long and the short of it the essential points or facts

Word Origin for long

Old English lang; related to Old High German lang, Old Norse langr, Latin longus

British Dictionary definitions for longing (4 of 6)

long

/ (lɒŋ) /

verb

(intr; foll by for or an infinitive) to have a strong desire

Word Origin for long

Old English langian; related to long 1

British Dictionary definitions for longing (5 of 6)

long

/ (lɒŋ) /

verb

(intr) archaic to belong, appertain, or be appropriate

Word Origin for long

Old English langian to belong, from gelang at hand, belonging to; compare along

British Dictionary definitions for longing (6 of 6)

long

⁴

abbreviation for

longitude

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for longing

Long

[ lông ]

Crawford Williamson 1815-1878

American surgeon and pioneer anesthetist who was among the first (1842) to use ether as an anesthetic.

Idioms and Phrases with longing

long

In addition to the idioms beginning with long

long ago
long and short of it, the
long arm of the law, the
long face
long haul
long in the tooth
long shot, a
long suit
long time no see

also see:

as long as
at (long) last
before long
come a long way
(long) drawn out
go a long way toward
happy as the day is long
in the long run
make a long story short
so long

Also see underlonger.