yearning

noun

yearn·​ing ˈyər-niŋ How to pronounce yearning (audio)
: a tender or urgent longing
a yearning for justice

Examples of yearning in a Sentence

had a sudden yearning for something sweet
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.
And since a love story requires a tactile anchor for its yearning, Gomes — in stark contrast to Marker — cast a pair of conventionally attractive actors to embody the characters described over the soundtrack. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Jan. 2025 In this one crystallizing moment, the woman’s yearning, desire that has been discreetly waiting in the background, rushes into view. Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 The album’s rollout so far has maintained elements of nostalgia, or yearning for the past. Thania Garcia, Variety, 26 Dec. 2024 In another sign of Syrians’ yearning for normalcy after the whirlwind of events, schools in Damascus reopened Sunday for the first time since the insurgents marched in the capital. Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for yearning 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near yearning

Cite this Entry

“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

yearning

noun
yearn·​ing
: a tender or eager longing

More from Merriam-Webster on yearning

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