Synonyms of pine

pine

verb

as in to long

Related Words

• long
• yearn
• fear
• despair
• stress
• worry
• agonize
• stew
• fret
• trouble
• sweat
• bother
• chafe
• fuss

Dissimilar Words

• accept
• take
• bear
• sustain
• tolerate
• endure
• abide
• stick out
• stomach

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pine distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pine are hanker, hunger, long, thirst, and yearn. While all these words mean "to have a strong desire for something," pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

In what contexts can hanker take the place of pine?

While in some cases nearly identical to pine, hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

How do hunger and thirst relate to one another, in the sense of pine?

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 long be used instead of pine?

In some situations, the words long and pine are roughly equivalent. However, long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

Where would yearn be a reasonable alternative to pine?

The synonyms yearn and pine are sometimes interchangeable, but yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pine

If Vance Joseph leaves Denver for a head-coaching job, a role he’s openly pined to get back to after a decent DC run with Arizona and a brilliant one in Dove Valley, it’s presumed that Leonhard would slide into VJ’s old slot here — assuming the former’s still here, of course. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 Jan. 2026

Picture this: Fresh off winning the championship cup, a veteran hockey captain becomes the first out gay player in his sport by kissing his ex-boyfriend on the ice in front of the entire world…and two very closeted but desperately pining hockey players watching from home. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Dec. 2025

His father's signature martial arts style, called Songahm Taekwondo, has deep Arkansas roots, and the name Songahm, which translates to 'pine tree rock,' has parallels to the natural beauty of Arkansas his father valued, Lee said. —Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 3 Dec. 2025

The Castlery Black Friday sale is a prime opportunity to pine over the retailer’s classic silhouettes and neutral color palettes at slightly more wallet-friendly prices. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025