as in craving
a strong wish for something
had a sudden yearning for something sweet
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as in crying
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of yearning
Leesa Cross-Smith, People.com, 21 June 2025
Investors long yearning for milder inflation in order to justify interest rate cuts celebrated Wednesday’s release.
—Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
People celebrating this holiday weekend may have different ideas about what sparked the American Revolution: a yearning for liberty; a revulsion at taxation without representation; or a desire to have a national sport where players can touch the ball with their hands.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 5 July 2025
Elliot — a misfit yearning for coherence and connection; a cog raging against the machine that owns him — rebooted the alienated hero to electrifying effect.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for yearning
Verb
The yearning in both of these stories is enough to make soft hearts kick their blankets in glee, and the reunions make the waiting more than worth it.
—Leesa Cross-Smith, People.com, 21 June 2025
Investors long yearning for milder inflation in order to justify interest rate cuts celebrated Wednesday’s release.
—Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
People celebrating this holiday weekend may have different ideas about what sparked the American Revolution: a yearning for liberty; a revulsion at taxation without representation; or a desire to have a national sport where players can touch the ball with their hands.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 5 July 2025
Elliot — a misfit yearning for coherence and connection; a cog raging against the machine that owns him — rebooted the alienated hero to electrifying effect.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for yearning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yearning
Noun
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With this new creation, Liu turns our gaze back to earth, exploring the existential solitude and quiet observation of these aging machines as metaphors for diasporic longing, technological obsolescence and the search for connection and purpose.—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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The characters become avatars for our own longing, heartbreak, hopefulness and grief ...—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The Candy Bar, next door to Scratch Biscuit Kitchen, will fix any craving for a sweet beach treat.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
25 July 2025
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Sleep deprivation is also associated with disruptions in appetite-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin), which often increases cravings for sugary, nutrient-poor foods.12 2.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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But a more pressing fear might be that in the shadow of AI, human beings are preparing their own obsolescence in advance, producing and consuming more and more creative work that seems algorithmic rather than inspired, accepting in blockbuster movies and ...—
Ross Douthat,
National Review,
24 July 2025
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Beyond environmental issues, the loss of local control is the most pressing concern for coastal cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 July 2025
Noun
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The sport of off-roading suffers from a fundamental discordance: The desire to get out into nature and the irreparable harm inherent in the process of off-roading.—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
25 July 2025
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Zuckerberg’s drive to get ahead on AI may be rooted in part in his desire to own a foundational platform for the next major technology wave.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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His voice was deliberate and insistent, reinforcing the coercive atmosphere.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
2 July 2025
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Would the nurse have been so insistent had my father been English?—
Jhumpa Lahiri,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Deep listening is the discipline of being fully present with another person—suspending judgment, setting aside distractions, and resisting the urge to formulate a response.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
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At a low point, Stevie decided to transform her suicidal urges into homicidal ones.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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For many who’ve been on the ground preventing violence in their communities, the debate at the Capitol feels urgent.—
Andrea May Sahouri,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
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Sutton added that with higher participation in an opt-in system, emergency managers could use that channel for less urgent alerts and conserve IPAWS alerts for the most high-risk situations.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Matty is assigned to Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
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Cooper Flagg’s work ethic does not specifically come from a thirst from within, a drive to be the best.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yearning. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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