HANKERING Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

hankering 1 of 2

noun

as in craving

a strong wish for something I've had a hankering for pizza with anchovies all afternoon

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hankering

2 of 2

adjective

as in longing

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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

Noun

For those with a hankering for fine dining, head a few blocks north to MAASS and splurge on an intimate meal at its 14-seat Chef’s Counter. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026 Prior to preproduction on Godzilla x Kong, Wingard, after a day of writing Face/Off 2 at Barrett’s place, had a hankering for some tacos. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 Orange dream freeze at Your 3rd Spot A little sweet and a little sassy, the orange dream freeze satisfies a hankering for a cocktail and a dessert. — Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 21 June 2026 Though the bolt had an apparent hankering for coconuts and avoided a direct hit through my scalp, the current traveled through the earth, zapped my feet, and sent me jumping into the air and, ultimately, to the emergency room. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hankering

Noun

Keep one in your freezer for whenever your pumpkin pie craving strikes.

— Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Jennifer King is getting brain surgery at Allegheny General Hospital to hopefully control her opioid addiction cravings.

— Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of craving

Adjective

Owners generally do not want their locations disclosed, experienced builders work under strict nondisclosure agreements, and the industry is full of ambitious claims that are difficult to verify.

— Megan Buerger, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
La Galerie Du 19M Shanghai Chanel’s Le19M creative hub has traveled to Shanghai for the first time with an ambitious exhibition that brings the brand’s unique production system to life via the work of Chinese artists, makers, and craftsmen.

— Denni Hu, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambitious

Noun

Alfonso recalled their discussions about how setting and movement could express the desire to survive.

— Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
The desire for these transformative products was never innate, and LACMA’s exhibition zeroes in on that idea from the start.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of desire

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

Definition of covetous

Noun

The trend not only reflects the reach of the broader wellness and longevity movement, but also a thirst for communal experience and social connection, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.

— Will Stone, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Naturally, many of those discussions gravitated toward data centers and AI’s thirst for electrons.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of thirst

Adjective

Yet Before Hollywood became obsessed with Curry Barker, Markiplier opened the year in a submarine full of blood.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Oct. 2026
There are many ways to become obsessed with life’s frame rate, with the varying speed of an action and the way that time can be sliced or spun in the presentation.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026