as in craving
a strong wish for something
I've had a hankering for pizza with anchovies all afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in longing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 hankering
Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
This piece combines a supporting character palette with a leading lady frame to make something perfect for those who have a hankering to whitewash but know better.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s the bit missing these days, and that’s why there’s a hankering for what some people call the West Ham Way.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
And for the kids who get a hankering to try the sport/lifestyle, consider a learn-to camp.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
And if fig is the focus but a cake isn’t calling your name, try one of these fresh and flavorful fig recipes to satisfy any sudden hankering.
—Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
For those with a hankering for farm-to-table cuisine, Handle’s menu of fresh, simple dishes will satiate the craving.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
For them, socialism has meant only a hankering for state tyranny and brazen assaults on property rights that, together, threaten the beliefs every patriotic citizen holds dear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Anyone who doesn’t hold the same nostalgic hankering for veteran actresses holding court with one-woman shows might not be blamed for opting out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
If your hankering is for Chinese, then pop into bustling Taipei Express for a cheap and cheerful Sa Cha Chicken lunch combo.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
This piece combines a supporting character palette with a leading lady frame to make something perfect for those who have a hankering to whitewash but know better.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2026
That’s the bit missing these days, and that’s why there’s a hankering for what some people call the West Ham Way.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
And for the kids who get a hankering to try the sport/lifestyle, consider a learn-to camp.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
And if fig is the focus but a cake isn’t calling your name, try one of these fresh and flavorful fig recipes to satisfy any sudden hankering.
—Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
For those with a hankering for farm-to-table cuisine, Handle’s menu of fresh, simple dishes will satiate the craving.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
For them, socialism has meant only a hankering for state tyranny and brazen assaults on property rights that, together, threaten the beliefs every patriotic citizen holds dear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Anyone who doesn’t hold the same nostalgic hankering for veteran actresses holding court with one-woman shows might not be blamed for opting out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hankering
Noun
-
The market can accommodate pretty much any Italian food craving, offering everything from antipasto to Zeppole di San Giuseppe (a seasonal specialty dessert).—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
-
As with any addiction, people who stop smoking might experience cravings and withdrawals.—
Bautista Vivanco,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Werther, in his self-delusion, embodies another Goethean type, the longing man—ordinary, but convinced of the extraordinariness of his feelings.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Ignoring urges and doing the maneuver at other times means more straining, which can be painful, time-consuming and consequential in terms of hemorrhoids and damage to the muscles involved in pooping.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
And each movement aroused an urge to move in the woman lying above, as if an avalanche of imperceptible but palpable vibrations had been triggered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Born in Naples in 1943, the son of a seamstress and a railway employee who was also an accomplished and ambitious painter, Starnone began his working life as a schoolteacher.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The grant also supported an ambitious effort to bring the wild descendants of McCloud salmon back to California from New Zealand.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sports, after all, can be a vehicle for shaping our values and expressing our desires.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As the war in Iran rages on, both rising oil prices and consumers’ decreasing desire to jet-set in uncertain times hang like a dark cloud over the industry, threatening to upend air travel across the world.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
-
For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders.—
Matt Kamen,
Wired News,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
After all, nothing puts a damper on a picnic faster than warm drinks — especially as temperatures rise and guests crave cold, refreshing beverages to quench their thirst.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
-
When the mood strikes for a hair refresh, even brunettes have a sudden thirst for bursts of lightened hair.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There's a reason why everyone is so obsessed with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt these days.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
15 Mar. 2026
-
When Jersey Shore debuted on MTV in 2009, DiCaprio wasn't the only viewer who became obsessed.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hankering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hankering. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
