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 all of his novels are, in a sense, love stories, from the protagonist John’s adolescent yearning for his friend Elisha in Baldwin’s debut novel, Go Tell It On the Mountain (1952), to Giovanni’s Room and Another Country. Nicholas Boggs, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2025 The reboot had Lawson laughing out loud and yearning for the revival of true comedy. Nikki Sternberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025 Encouraging the fans in the studio to get on their feet and get into it, the quartet has the crowd clapping along to its mostly a cappella performance of the song that perfectly blends yearning, soulful singing with cowgirl attitude and acoustic twang. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 July 2025 The collecting of hair is, in short, a deeply unrelatable manifestation of deeply relatable emotions: love, grief, nostalgia, yearning. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

yearning

noun
yearn·​ing
: a tender or eager longing

More from Merriam-Webster on yearning

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