as in longing
a strong wish for something
had a sudden yearning for something sweet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in crying
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of yearning
Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
In the weeks before Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the alcoholic, frustrated cabaret singer/force of nature that is Mary Todd Lincoln deals with secret yearnings, as does her husband.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Morris felt a sense of belonging in the city that did not belong, and on the wharf that morning laid the foundations of a whole career exploring nostalgia and its yearnings.
—Sara Wheeler, Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026
In them, key social issues and important historical moments come alive by way of her characters’ wounds, yearnings, and dreams.
—Imani Perry, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yearning
Noun
Here, the sado-sensual yearning of the Confederacy to instantiate itself through the fetishes and reliquaries of figurative sculpture is shown as hollow, impotent, all too discomfiting, and very real.
—Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
In the weeks before Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the alcoholic, frustrated cabaret singer/force of nature that is Mary Todd Lincoln deals with secret yearnings, as does her husband.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Morris felt a sense of belonging in the city that did not belong, and on the wharf that morning laid the foundations of a whole career exploring nostalgia and its yearnings.
—Sara Wheeler, Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026
In them, key social issues and important historical moments come alive by way of her characters’ wounds, yearnings, and dreams.
—Imani Perry, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yearning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yearning
Noun
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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
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Touching on both, this memoir beautifully conveys the haunting presence of an estranged relative and the blurry line between longing and reluctance toward reconnection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Noun
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Zero-calorie sweeteners may help in specific cases but can reinforce cravings for sweet foods.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Director Gay has sculpted a staging that is faithful to a more leisurely 19th-century storytelling style, yet satisfies modern audiences’ constant craving for stimulation.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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At our Yale Higher Education Summit in January, 100 college and university presidents gathered to discuss the most pressing issues demanding their attention.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Nearly a third of Americans, meanwhile, pointed to the high cost of living overall as their most pressing financial concern — suggesting affordability remains a top voting issue.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Part of it was a desire to stick things out with his teammates.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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The team wanted to keep Phillips and even engaged in conversations with Trey Hendrickson, showing the desire for a high-level edge rusher to join Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith in the top three.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Valeria Golino plays a supporting role as the grieving, insistent mother of a victim who meets with Zem’s criminologist.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Her voice is light but insistent.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Adjective
-
The situation sparked immediate on-the-ground reporting from journalists across the media spectrum who took to social media platforms to deliver urgent reports.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
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The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan said people have reported to them and the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center that they've been denied urgent and routine medical care over the past 10 months.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yearning. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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