Synonyms of pine

pine

verb

as in to long

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• 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

In the summer of 2022, Zegler told red carpet interviewers that her version of the iconic princess wouldn’t spend her days pining over a man. —Katcy Stephan, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025

The father-son duo made headlines earlier this month while at a sneaker convention, with Sam — who turned 13 in February — pining over a pair of $6,000 Air Dior kicks. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two NASA astronauts who rode to the cosmos months ago on a Boeing Starliner spacecraft, aren't really spending their days pining to return to Earth. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025

Christine Baumgartner is not pining over her ex-husband, Kevin Costner. —Sophie Hessekiel, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025