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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hankering

2 of 2

adjective

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

Noun

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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hankering

Noun

For kiddos and adults, fruit serves as a healthy alternative to candy, delivering vitamins, fiber, and hydration while satisfying sweet cravings.

— Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
Ostensibly, GLP-1s don’t just quiet the appetite but also impact broader cravings.

— Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of craving

Noun

However, holding pee for a long period of time and ignoring the urge to go might increase the risk of certain problems, such as urinary tract infections.

— Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026
Our research team found that, in abstaining mice, this urge to drink is preceded by changes in the activity of a particular brain region, pointing to potential new screening opportunities to identify and help those most vulnerable to relapse.

— Marie Doyle, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of urge

Adjective

The change could reshape one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure projects in the US.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Hathaway tells them to be ambitious and creative, and the designers do have a bigger budget of $700, but once again, only one day.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of ambitious

Noun

Emery’s desire to blood Madjo early was ultimately reflected in picking him to start ahead of Tammy Abraham — who the club are willing to listen to offers for — in Salzburg.

— Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Modern food consumption is also a good example of how abundance doesn’t necessarily eliminate the desire for luxury.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Aug. 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

Still, symptoms can accompany the condition, Rao explains, including fatigue, swelling in the legs or ankles, shortness of breath, frequent urination, increased thirst, or chest discomfort.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
While spit-shining his boots one day in the fall of 1958, Simeon declared to a local reporter his thirst to regain power abroad.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of thirst

Adjective

But while ripoffs and dodgy reboots are common in horror, some of the weirdest unauthorized sequels are the result of an obsessed fan self-financing a tribute to their favorite movie.

— Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Although my daughter became obsessed with Full House years ago, her experience was radically different from mine.

— Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026