as in desire
a strong wish for something
by four o'clock in the afternoon, I usually experience a strong longing for chocolate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pining
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of longing
Abigail Lee, Variety, 6 June 2025
The arrival marks a clear play in the growing demand for craveable comfort food, and maybe even a response to those longing for the return of the McDonald’s Snack Wrap.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025
The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
The memory of that longing stayed with her for years, becoming one of her most vivid childhood recollections.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for longing
Verb
Coughlan brings heart and sensitivity to Penelope’s longing for romantic validation.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 6 June 2025
The arrival marks a clear play in the growing demand for craveable comfort food, and maybe even a response to those longing for the return of the McDonald’s Snack Wrap.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025
The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
The memory of that longing stayed with her for years, becoming one of her most vivid childhood recollections.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for longing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for longing
Noun
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More Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Many fans have been happy with this news, as the desire for the Buss Family to sell the team has grown over the years.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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Thanks to the valve-free design, kids can guzzle as much as their thirsty heart desires.—
Cheryl Fenton,
Parents,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The persistent engagement crisis screams a critical truth: Our focus on superficial benefits has blinded us to the fundamental human craving for connection, security and purpose.—
Lori Huss,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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Your brain becomes less responsive to fullness signals, while at the same time ramping up stress hormones that can increase cravings and appetite.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Image Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings The sudden appearance of seven mysterious doors across the world draws attention from religious sects, covetous billionaires and everyday people who speculate over what lies on the other side.—
Laura Thompson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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His approach, on and off the pitch, has had a transformative effect and as Palace seek to secure him on a new contract, there have been covetous glances cast in his direction from clubs in the German Bundesliga.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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California’s existing groundwater infrastructure may fail to quench the state’s thirst in an increasingly arid future, even as officials celebrate widespread conservation achievements, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned on Tuesday.—
Sharon Udasin,
The Hill,
24 June 2025
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And for a nightcap, guests have not one, but two bar options to quench their thirst for spirits and top shelf drinks.—
Karla Pope,
Architectural Digest,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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This year’s edition, moreover, is more ambitious than ever.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
24 June 2025
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Oh Ae-sun (played by K-pop superstar IU, who also portrays Ae-sun’s daughter Geum-myeong) is a poor but ambitious girl who grows up on South Korea’s Jeju Island in the 1950s and 1960s.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Most importantly, resist the urge to settle or lower your standards because dating feels hard.—
Anna Pulley,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2025
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Resist the urge to stick exclusively with people from the same background who all see the world the same way.—
Robert E. Siegel,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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But the road to telling that story began with a restless boy in a quiet town, one who found escape not on the water, but in the light of screens both big and small, captivated by Steven Spielberg’s work and the classic soap opera Guiding Light.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
19 June 2025
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Meanwhile, the restless Seonwoo smells a vile stench from the apartment below where a lonely woman lives, and investigates.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The hunger for dialogue, mentorship, and community was evident at every turn—from packed panel discussions to spontaneous debates between generations of image-makers.—
Daniel Rodríguez Gordillo,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
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Nearly one third of the 1.3 million people in Dallas-Fort Worth who face hunger are children.—
Paris Goodman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Longing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/longing. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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