pining 1 of 3

noun

as in longing
a strong wish for something a sudden pining to have steak for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pining

2 of 3

adjective

as in covetous

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

pining

3 of 3

verb

present participle of pine
as in yearning

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 pining
Noun
Classic stories of pining and desire are also getting their share of attention. — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026 Reporter and Army vet Mare (Chelsea Frei) does a little secret pining for the new boss. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026 De la Fuente has received a lot of criticism from the media and Spanish fans online for Monday’s performance, and there is a lot of nostalgic pining for former assistant manager Pablo Amo, who left the coaching staff in February 2025 but who many say was the real mastermind of the Euro 2024 squad. — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Zohran Mamdani has just moved in, and considering the thoughtful aesthetic details of his campaign—which his stylish first lady, artist Rama Duwaji, had a hand in designing—we’re pining for a look at how the couple decorates their new digs. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pining
  1. longing
  2. covetous
  3. craving
  4. desire
  5. urge
  6. thirst
Noun
  • But across this wolf may cry, her breathy delivery becomes so uniform that longing, frustration, and romantic desperation frequently sound indistinguishable.
    — Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • A lot of people have so much longing for that era too — things seemed so simple then.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of longing
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
  • Ladybird Taco started with a breakfast craving, a homemade tortilla and a chance encounter that changed everything.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And, later, a midnight snack of lobster rolls, hot dogs, and pizzas certainly quashed any late-night cravings.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • The plan emerged from the House speaker’s desire to limit state spending and pad the state’s reserves.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Motivated by a desire to preserve this rarefied world, and to learn more about the country that her parents had fled, Hélène enrolled at Sciences Po and became an expert on the region.
    — Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • This winter gives us a second chance at that childlike urge to make a statement.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But is that because dementia has robbed Leslie of the ability to modulate her urges?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • Bushby had a thirst for adventure, but his mission only came into focus when his father, Keith, sent him a birthday card in the mid-90s.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Getting into spoilers, Matt’s escalating thirst for vengeance comes to a head at a nightclub owned by the mob boss who sliced up his face in the first place.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of thirst

Browse Nearby Words

pinholes
pining
pining (away)
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Cite this Entry

“Pining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pining. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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