as in longing
a strong wish for something
a sudden pining to have steak for dinner
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in covetous
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Recent Examples of pining
Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
Noun
-
There’s arguably no one better placed to collaborate with VFX artists on a motion-capture performance than Serkis, who’s delivered innocence, cunning, cruelty, longing, and kindness in roles that run from Golum to Caesar to King Kong himself.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
Coming from a working-class family of Mexican immigrants and having worked many years in services jobs around the South Bay, the 36-year-old wanted his art to reflect that longing for a fair treatment of workers, especially immigrants.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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
Noun
-
In other words, this high drama of winners and losers follows a very, very old human narrative tradition rooted in our craving for catharsis.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The white-meat nuggets are delicious on their own and satisfy that fast-food craving—especially when they’re prepped in the air fryer and dipped in our favorite sauces.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Our desire to see each other can remain the same but the means of doing so have to be flexible.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2026
-
Public interest in this crowdfunding effort shows a collective desire to disrupt the airline industry.—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
For starters, a handful of clubs with needs at the most important position on the field — that’d be quarterback — resisted the urge to reach in a down year for the position, with most waiting until the later rounds to take a flier on a likely backup.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
If a user who is interacting with that AI-bot starts to express any words or feelings that even remotely reflect an urge to harm themselves or others, the bot should alert local authorities of the potential risk.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond simply preventing blackouts, this facility is specifically designed to quench the massive power thirst of local AI data centers.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 May 2026
-
Excess sugar overwhelms the kidneys, which flush it — along with hydrating fluids — out through urine, leaving people dehydrated and trapped in a cycle of thirst.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pining. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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