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: a tender or urgent longing
a yearning for justice
Synonyms
Examples of yearning in a Sentence
had a sudden yearning for something sweet
Recent Examples on the Web
All three seem to get along just fine, which makes the natural yearning for an old flame to rekindle all the more tantalizing.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2024
The lyrics depict how many high schoolers feel when expected to act maturely as children, only to grow up yearning to be more carefree in adulthood.
—Jasmine Sessoms, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024
Everything Monsters ostensibly wants to do — balancing layers of skepticism with a yearning for empathy — is captured in that one exceptional episode and, maddeningly, only in brief moments and performances elsewhere.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024
For those yearning for daily NASCAR content, NASCAR’s production team will churn out a 10-minute YouTube show called NASCAR Daily, with quick-hitting news and updates.
—Greg Engle, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for yearning
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yearning.' 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 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 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
yearning
noun
yearn·ing
: a tender or eager longing
More from Merriam-Webster on yearning
Nglish: Translation of yearning for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of yearning for Arabic Speakers
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