yearning
Americannoun
-
deep longing, especially when accompanied by tenderness or sadness.
a widower's yearning for his wife.
-
an instance of such longing.
noun
Related Words
See desire.
Other Word Forms
- unyearning adjective
- yearningly adverb
Etymology
Origin of yearning
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English gierninge; equivalent to yearn + -ing 1
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.
While the fan-theorised second finale has not materialised, a behind-the-scenes documentary showing how season five of the hit TV series came to life hopes to satisfy some of those yearnings and burning questions.
From BBC
It's impossible to know the depth of his support, and whether this profound yearning for change leads some to hold fast to a familiar symbol.
From BBC
On the surface, it is a love story between Hal and Madge, but underneath it’s a meditation on class, yearning, broken dreams, and the nearly insurmountable obstacles to leading a life of meaning and purpose.
It’s a stunning moment, and one of the show’s most memorable scenes, because it earnestly captures the silent yearning that comprises so much of the gay experience, especially for closeted gay men.
From Salon
When he opened up to Louise, he realised he'd missed "what she was yearning" -holding her hand and listening to her.
From BBC
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.
