yearn

verb

ˈyərn 

yearned; yearning; yearns

intransitive verb

1

: to long persistently, wistfully, or sadly

yearns to make a difference

2

: to feel tenderness or compassion

yearner noun

yearningly

ˈyər-niŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of yearn

• crave
• long (for)
• die (for)
• want
• thirst (for)
• pine (for)
• sigh (for)
• wish (for)
• yen (for)
• hunger (for)
• ache (for)
• repine (for)
• itch (for)

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

Examples of yearn in a Sentence

yearned for a little house in the country

Recent Examples on the Web

But that’s all kudos and credit to the writing and putting us in situations that are different and unique, but all still have that yearning beneath it all. —Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026

Her longtime rival, Tonya Harding, yearned to win gold at the Lillehammer Olympics—not just for the accolade itself, but for the windfall of lucrative endorsements that would follow such a victory. —Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026

Despite this, the 400 employees trained to feed Chinese people yearning for Americana was not enough, nor were the 460 seats in the first Chinese McDonald’s. —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

But all of the Agartha memes share in common the concept of the subterranean Aryan paradise that Himmler yearned for. —Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English yernen, from Old English giernan; akin to Old High German gerōn to desire, Latin hortari to urge, encourage, Greek chairein to rejoice

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yearn

• adjourn
• concern
• decern
• discern
• downturn
• extern
• heartburn
• interne
• nocturne
• return
• sunburn
• unworn

Kids Definition

yearn

verb

ˈyərn 

1

: to desire eagerly

2

: to feel tenderness or sympathy

yearner noun