yearn

verb

yearned; yearning; yearns

intransitive verb

1
: to long persistently, wistfully, or sadly
yearns to make a difference
2
: to feel tenderness or compassion
yearner noun
yearningly adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for yearn

long, yearn, hanker, pine, hunger, thirst mean to have a strong desire for something.

long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

Examples of yearn in a Sentence

yearned for a little house in the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As the years went by, more money started to flow through this ecosystem, which was welcomed by many who were yearning for the legitimization of the budding social media industry. Solo Ceesay, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025 Few people wanted Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania XXXI — he’d been shoved into the spotlight quickly and awkwardly and not even having the Rock raise Roman’s hand at that year’s Royal Rumble could buy him the enthusiasm the WWE yearned for. Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025 Sinners is about vampires, perpetual outsiders who desperately yearn to belong, but whose silky promises are rooted in treachery. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Apr. 2025 The things people yearn for. Use emotional language. Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yearn

Word History

Etymology

Middle English yernen, from Old English giernan; akin to Old High German gerōn to desire, Latin hortari to urge, encourage, Greek chairein to rejoice

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yearn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearn. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

yearn

verb
1
: to desire eagerly
2
: to feel tenderness or sympathy
yearner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on yearn

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