as in craving
a strong wish for something
I've had a hankering for pizza with anchovies all afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in longing
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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
-
Aiming for 30 grams of protein at breakfast can reduce cravings, promote fullness, stabilize blood sugar, and help maintain muscle mass.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2026
-
Kravitz is the opposite, as her Venus conjunct Pluto in Scorpio is deeply evocative; there is a deep craving for intimacy, soul-to-soul connection and closeness rooted in loyalty and reciprocity.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 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
-
For starters, a handful of clubs with needs at the most important position on the field — that’d be quarterback — resisted the urge to reach in a down year for the position, with most waiting until the later rounds to take a flier on a likely backup.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
If a user who is interacting with that AI-bot starts to express any words or feelings that even remotely reflect an urge to harm themselves or others, the bot should alert local authorities of the potential risk.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the wake of the Para Site retrospective came a wave of new opportunities and invitations to work at an increasingly ambitious scale, including a commission for the M+ Facade, a 360-foot-wide harbor-facing LED screen on the side of the Hong Kong museum.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Fiscal ambitions have since become more ambitious.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
In mid-April, Meghan Trainor also called off her entire arena tour, citing a desire to spend time with her young children.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
2 May 2026
-
Renewable energy The global oil crisis has only deepened the desire by many countries to transition to clean energy, which could be a boon for the sector.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 May 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
-
There was nothing left for anyone to drink at Soft Bar after Sabrina arrived because her insatiable thirst sucked up all the moisture within a ten-block radius.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
That standard is based on the Five Freedoms of animal welfare developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which include freedom from hunger and thirst; from discomfort; from pain, from injury or disease, from fear and distress; and freedom to express normal behavior.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Six months prior, while Tzagournis was out of town, her daughter and 4-year-old son had become obsessed.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
About half of the sales go to Chinese buyers, who are even more obsessed with pigeons than the Belgians.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hankering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hankering. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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