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.
Stella isn’t being betrayed — if anything, she’s being reached out to, desperately, like her light-years-away namesake, by two yearning humans with their feet, at least for now, stuck on the ground. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024 Behind every unresolved murder case is a family that never stopped mourning or yearning for justice. Alaa Elassar, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024 With a chopper, nothing is out of reach – and for the intrepid explorer yearning for true isolation, this is the stuff of dreams. Shaun Stanley, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024 Poetic ruminations on imprisonment in a foreign land and yearning for a home that may no longer exist are supported by Wally Badarou and Dean Blunt’s entrancing synth score. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 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 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

yearning

noun
yearn·​ing
: a tender or eager longing

More from Merriam-Webster on yearning

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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