1
as in feeling (for)
to have sympathy for
I ache for those people who have to spend the holidays alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in craving
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
aching for some quiet time to himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aching (for)
Verb
-
An overt sweetness had our tasters craving something more savory.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Feb. 2026 -
In a city built around tourism, sports has become a hook for visitors craving a Vegas spin on it.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The mother took him in, pitying his orphan status and appreciating his straightforward manners, neither servile nor presumptuous, but respectful and unembarrassed and warm.—
Daniyal Mueenuddin,
New Yorker,
23 Nov. 2025
-
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
On that phone call with Kaufman, Weir grabbed a guitar and started singing snippets of campfire songs from his past, eagerly wanting to add new verses to some of them.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
-
With a total student cost of less than $12,000, compared with thousands more at a Cal State or UC, affordability is a huge benefit for students wanting to pursue the bachelor’s degree at SCC, said Denise Foley, dean of business and career education at SCC.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Aching (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aching%20%28for%29. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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