longing

[lawng-ing, long-]

noun

1. strong, persistent desire or craving, especially for something unattainable or distant.

   filled with longing for home.

   Synonyms: aspiration
   Antonyms: apathy

2. an instance of this.

   a sudden longing to see old friends.

adjective

1. having or characterized by persistent or earnest desire.

   a longing look.

   Synonyms: yearning, desirous

longing

/ ˈlɒŋɪŋ /

noun

1. a prolonged unfulfilled desire or need

adjective

1. having or showing desire or need

   a longing look

Other Word Forms

• longingly adverb
• longingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of longing¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English langung; equivalent to long ² + -ing ¹

Synonym Study

See desire.

Example Sentences

More will flick on the radio or TV on a freezing winter's night in the UK longing to be warmed by news from the other side of the planet.

Read more on BBC

This isn’t a denial of infertility’s heartbreak or a dismissal of would-be parents’ longing to nurture.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Penelope settled in a chair as well, but she glanced with longing at the window seat.

Read more on Literature

The boy cast a longing glance in the direction of the bird’s departure, but he did not argue.

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With a parting glance at the Hixby’s Guide—did Penelope imagine it, or was it a longing, greedy, covetous sort of glance?—he left.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• ambition 
• aspiration 
• craving 
• hankering 
• hunger 
• pining 
• thirst 
• wish 
• yearning