hanker (for or after)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hanker distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hanker are hunger, long, pine, thirst, and yearn. While all these words mean "to have a strong desire for something," 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 hanker?

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 long be used instead of hanker?

While the synonyms long and hanker are close in meaning, long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

When is it sensible to use pine instead of hanker?

Although the words pine and hanker have much in common, pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

Where would yearn be a reasonable alternative to hanker?

The synonyms yearn and hanker are sometimes interchangeable, but yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanker (for or after)
Verb
  • With All-Star catcher Will Smith sidelined by a bone bruise in his right hand, Dalton Rushing was handed the chance at regular playing time the top prospect no doubt craved.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The games are one of the few program formats that still bring the broad, simultaneous viewership that Madison Avenue craves — and, as a result, more advertisers are trying to get money down on them, even if they haven’t been known for doing so in the past.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By February, Dudek had become the conduit between DOGE and the SSA, alerting top agency officials that DOGE wanted to work at headquarters.
    Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
  • And after Detroit defeated Green Bay, 34-31, in Week 14 last season, many Packers talked about wanting to see the Lions again in the postseason.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hanker (for or after).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanker%20%28for%20or%20after%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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