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
-
For vegan and vegetarian folks, craving juicy, tender tacos or a melt-in-your-mouth salmon sushi dish can feel agonizing.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026 -
They’re hooked and craving more.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Having failed to secure a ticket, I was taunted with pitying one-upmanship by acquaintances who had had more success.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
People talk about wanting authenticity, wanting discovery, wanting to support small producers, but then skip the wines that aren’t already on a majority of lists or highly rated.—
Maryam Ahmed,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
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This could be a model for other states wanting to boost rural development, support farmers and increase healthy food supply to people facing food insecurity.—
Rajiv J. Shah,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 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 27 Apr. 2026.
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