yearn

verb

\ ˈyərn

yearned; yearning; yearns

Definition of yearn

intransitive verb

1 : to long persistently, wistfully, or sadly yearns to make a difference

2 : to feel tenderness or compassion

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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

yearn, long, and pine mean to desire something very much. yearn is used of a very eager desiring along with restless or painful feelings. They're yearning for freedom. long is used when someone truly wants something and often tries very hard to get it. She longed to become a successful writer. pine is used when someone is growing weak while continuing to want something that is impossible to get. She was pining away for her long lost friend.

Examples of yearn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Young kids often yearn to give money to good causes, and that’s sweet. — Jeff Bogle, Good Housekeeping, "14 Reasons Parenting Teenagers Is Better Than You Think It Will Be," 10 Jan. 2019 That the darker parts of life were just as invigorating as the brightness, and that romance is based in yearning as much as love. — Meagan Fredette, refinery29.com, "Alexander McQueen Documentary Showcases The Rise Of His Tragic Genius," 3 June 2018 Eventually, all converging story lines meet when the Pavho transmit the Klingon's coordinates directly to the Discovery, since the species yearns to bring balance and peace to the galaxy. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "Last Night's 'Star Trek Discovery' Was a Maze of Confusion," 6 Nov. 2017 Against this backdrop, a rise in violent crime has left some voters yearning for order and security, which Bolsonaro — an ex-military officer — promised to deliver. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "4 things to know about Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s new far-right president," 29 Oct. 2018 The consequence of this transfer of power is that people yearn for a place where politics can actually be done. — Ben Sasse, WSJ, "Blame Congress for Politicizing the Court," 5 Sep. 2018 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days This is the best chick flick for anyone who’s ever loved summer in the city and yearned for a job at a big time magazine. — Hannah Pasternak, SELF, "11 Movies on Netflix You Need to Watch Before Summer’s Over," 28 Aug. 2018 The program ran for 11 years but was canceled in 1975 when NBC yearned to appeal to a younger demographic. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "A Fascinating Look Back at How Alex Trebek Got Started on 'Jeopardy!'," 30 July 2018 The best Pogba, the 120-million man Pogba, the Pogba United fans yearn for was in full display. — Juan Pimiento, chicagotribune.com, "Man United spoil City's party, Fire get their first win and the best of the soccer weekend," 8 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'yearn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.