pine for
phrasal verb
pined for; pining for; pines for
: to feel very sad because one wants (something) or because one is not with (someone)
She was pining for the old days.
He's pining for his college sweetheart.
Examples of pine for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Valentine, Andrews’ ninth LP, offers a conditional yes—not by pining for anyone in particular, but by fiercely defending the right to pine.
—
Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
Think about what that game meant to Bears fans who have pined for a playoff win and a quarterback who could do the unthinkable.
—Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
As Shane and Ilya pine for one another.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
New York City Councilwoman and socialist Alexa Avilés is also reportedly pining for Goldman’s seat and will seek the endorsement of the city’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pine for
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Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
Think about what that game meant to Bears fans who have pined for a playoff win and a quarterback who could do the unthinkable.
—Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
As Shane and Ilya pine for one another.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
New York City Councilwoman and socialist Alexa Avilés is also reportedly pining for Goldman’s seat and will seek the endorsement of the city’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pine for
Cite this Entry
“Pine for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pine%20for. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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