long 1 of 4

long

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noun

long

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adverb

long

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word long distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of long are hanker, hunger, pine, thirst, and yearn. While all these words mean "to have a strong desire for something," long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

When would hanker be a good substitute for long?

Although the words hanker and long have much in common, hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

How are the words hunger and thirst related as synonyms of long?

Both hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

When can pine be used instead of long?

The meanings of pine and long largely overlap; however, pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

When is it sensible to use yearn instead of long?

The words yearn and long are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

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 long
Adjective
YouTube does not specify how any of the data received from users incorrectly labeled as teens will be used or how long it will be stored. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025 These fireballs often last longer and shine brighter, thanks to their origins in larger fragments of space debris. Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
This opinion piece isn’t about longing for an idealized past. Jack Hill, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2025 Those sounds pair with slow motion and simulated shifts to create a new-age ambiance that has many car enthusiasts longing for the sounds of engines past. Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Adverb
Indeed, Williams caught two long touchdown passes from Hayes during the Redhawks’ 24-7 win over Lyons in the state quarterfinals. Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025 As with the cloud industry, the giants own the base layer, but the long tail of specialized services is where startups can still grow. Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Frank longs for the days when a badge allowed a middle-aged white man to play god; the days when cops didn’t have to pretend like there were consequences for shooting people, and there wasn’t any bodycam footage of him using his gun to cut the bathroom line at a coffee shop. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 30 July 2025 In recent appearances, she’s been back to wearing her dark brunette long and one-length, in loose relaxed waves or in a bouncy blowout. Lorena Meouchi, Vogue, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for long
Recent Examples of Synonyms for long
Adjective
  • At first slow and elongated, then at grotesque, breakneck turns, Tøndel presents an intense psycho-drama, with slashes of surrealism and a striking, geometric visual language.
    Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 21 July 2025
  • The galaxy’s light gets distorted by the gravity of the dark matter, so the image of the galaxy becomes elongated, turning into a little arc.
    Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The work mirrors that which was recently completed on the west side of the crossing and forced a lengthy closing there.
    John Tuohy, IndyStar, 7 Aug. 2025
  • On the street in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, Hathaway’s lengthy, dark brown hair, handled by Sean Flanigan, was curled and parted in the middle.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • One of these Blue Bell flavors that fans have been pining over for 14 years—yes, over a decade—is the simple yet delicious Homemade In The Shade.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 22 July 2025
  • Parts read like a narrative, other parts sound like a letter to the husband, sometimes explanatory, sometimes apologetic, sometimes pining.
    The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long.
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Chaos is a constant for the outdoor winter sport with single-elimination playoffs that relies on the bounces of an elongated sphere.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Unfortunately for us nosy reporters, the Giants set up the second day of offensive linemen/defensive linemen one-on-ones on the far field.
    Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 30 July 2025
  • Prolonged wind events that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far distances sometimes qualify as derechos.
    Isabella O'Malley, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • One way to mess with an option team’s Plan A is to not only stick them with third-and-forevers, but to put them in an early hole, making them throw out of desperation.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2019
  • Printed with thermochromic ink, the stamp reveals a second image of the moon when a finger is pressed to it, and a sheet of 16 Forever stamps features a map of the eclipse path.
    Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2017
Adverb
  • Downtown Home & Garden will permanently close on Dec. 24 after more than a century in Ann Arbor.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Williams said that regardless of how the case is decided, anything built at the site would likely remain there permanently.
    Yezen Saadah, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The cultural power of showing us in all our authentic glory reached individuals who had yearned for a publication that spoke to them.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 4 Aug. 2025
  • For years, Demi Lovato’s OG fans yearned for her return to rock.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Long.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/long. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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