long 1 of 4

long

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adverb

long

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noun

long

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word long distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of long are hanker, hunger, pine, thirst, and yearn. While all these words 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

When would hanker be a good substitute for long?

Although the words hanker and long have much in common, hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

How are the words hunger and thirst related as synonyms of long?

Both hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

When can pine be used instead of long?

The meanings of pine and long largely overlap; however, pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

When is it sensible to use yearn instead of long?

The words yearn and long are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of long
Adjective
The long spurts without goals or with minimal kept coming after that, too. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025 Unlike long spaghetti noodles or even grain-like orzo, couscous has an even smaller shape. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2025
Adverb
Princess Eugenie has long been an advocate for sustainability and global preservation. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 June 2025 However, that’s because Buckle’s dividend has long been unlike its fashion retail brethren. Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Noun
After having a portrait done by the talented painter Basil, Dorian longs for the picture to age and wither instead of him. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2025 The bottom line is this isn't the best place to be adding longs. eady to trade with us? Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
Related Stories The film follows a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo, played by Maia Kealoha, who is longing for a best friend. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 30 May 2025 Okay, this might be a little hyperbole, but the final beats of the Season 10 finale reveal a hook-up that fans have longed for, but was thought to have been abandoned as a storyline. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for long
Recent Examples of Synonyms for long
Adjective
  • The shoes feature an elongated, pointed toe that is pinched at the tip, a signature detail in the design house’s footwear.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
  • The sword consists of a short, elongated, pointed blade with a handle with antennas, made of iron, combined with spheres made of copper alloys or copper.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • The uncertainty has drawn comparisons in MAGA circles to faulty intelligence in Iraq, which supporters of the movement blame for the lengthy war.
    Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 21 June 2025
  • That’s a gap of 15 months for filming and post-production, lengthy even in this current streaming era.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • The 34-mile road winds through several ecosystems from cove hardwood to northern hardwood to pine oak to spruce fir.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
  • Parts read like a narrative, other parts sound like a letter to the husband, sometimes explanatory, sometimes apologetic, sometimes pining.
    The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long.
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Milk Chocolate For those with darker skin tones, a milk chocolate mani will match seamlessly and elongate fingers.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Questions are continuing to mount about how far tensions in the Middle East will spiral, with President Trump refusing to rule out U.S. intervention between Israel and Iran.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 June 2025
  • As an example of how far interest rates fell, the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bond reached an all-time low of 0.65% in June 2020 during the peak of the pandemic.
    Chris Gunster, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adverb
  • Exactly When Apple Will Launch iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air And iPhone 17 Pro Microsoft Starts Deleting Your Passwords In 6 Weeks—Act Now Set up your research system once and use it forever.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • But Paul Simon’s A Quiet Celebration tour is nothing like some artists squeezing their fans for more money after promising to go away forever.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Sinners is one of the great vampire movies of the modern age, mining the legend of these perpetual outsiders who desperately yearn to belong.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 June 2025
  • But today, people are again yearning for the banjo’s groove.
    Essence, Essence, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • An extended 3-year warranty might help, but those who've been bitten before will likely be wary – even if the company is now part of the McLaren Applied family.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 June 2025
  • From a méthode champenoise cuvée with extended lees aging to a Provencal blend showcasing saline finesse, these wines show how rosé can take on texture, minerality and depth without losing freshness.
    Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Long.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/long. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

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