longing

noun

long·​ing ˈlȯŋ-iŋ How to pronounce longing (audio)
: a strong desire especially for something unattainable : craving
longingly adverb

Examples of longing in a Sentence

They looked with longing toward freedom. She cast a look of longing at the shop window. She never told anyone about her secret longings.
Recent Examples on the Web Memory, the desire to capture the real self, the longing to be seen, and questions of identity infuse Elisheva Biernoff’s fantastically poignant and unusual paintings. Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024 Available on The Week Bookshop Forest of Noise Mosab Abu Toha, 2024 This collection by a Gazan poet – written since the Israeli assault started last year – is full of fury and longing, an emblem of the richness of Palestinian culture. The Week Uk, theweek, 11 Oct. 2024 The plunges into a realm where feelings are intense, utilizing music as the supreme medium to convey the sorrow and longing that accompany heartbreak. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2024 And of course, a romantic drama is going to have life and death and love and risk-taking and courage and terror and mortality and dread and joy and exuberance and longing. Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for longing 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'longing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of longing was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near longing

Cite this Entry

“Longing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/longing. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

longing

noun
long·​ing ˈlȯŋ-iŋ How to pronounce longing (audio)
: an eager desire : craving
longingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on longing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!