yearn

verb

ˈyərn 

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

ˈyər-niŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• ache (for)
• covet
• crave
• desiderate
• desire
• die (for)
• hanker (for or after)
• hunger (for)
• itch (for)
• jones (for) [slang]
• long (for)
• lust (for or after)
• pant (after)
• pine (for)
• repine (for)
• salivate (for)
• sigh (for)
• thirst (for)
• want
• wish (for)
• yen (for)

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

But this sweet and yearning six-minute pavan, written for an ensemble of viols, and the title track on the gorgeous new recording of the Ricercar Consort, bridges centuries. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

No Labels intended to offer a different choice than the presumptive presidential nominees at that time -- incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump -- to citizens who yearned for something new instead of a repeat of the 2020 election. —Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024

After spending a few years abroad, Mai yearned to return home, so Cook agreed to drop him off en route to the fabled Northwest Passage. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024

Remote work and digital communication, while convenient, often exacerbate these feelings, leaving Gen Zers yearning for deeper, more meaningful connections. —Tess Brigham, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

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

Kids Definition

yearn

verb

ˈyərn 

1

: to desire eagerly

2

: to feel tenderness or sympathy

yearner noun