yearning

1 of 2

noun

yearn·​ing ˈyər-niŋ How to pronounce yearning (audio)
Synonyms of yearning
: a tender or urgent longing
a yearning for justice

yearning

2 of 2

present participle of yearn

Synonyms of yearning

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of yearning in a Sentence

Noun had a sudden yearning for something sweet
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Handmade props and stop-motion animation give the magical realism a tactile quality, while nostalgic details deepen the story’s exploration of yearning. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 However, this renewed yearning for simpler trackers feels significant at a time when AI health and fitness coaches demand more data in increasingly invasive ways. — Victoria Song, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026 The colors are dour and muted, and the yearnings of the two elder Dashwood sisters—the self-abnegating Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and the passionate Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles, a gimlet-eyed standout)—often play out in drearily candlelit rooms. — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 Not merely due to sympathy for the tweens, nor from projecting some future time when the unerasable archive of this yearning might prove embarrassing. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for yearning

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yearning was before the 12th century

Rhymes for yearning

See All Rhymes for yearning

Browse Nearby Words

yearnful
yearning
yearningly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

yearning

noun
yearn·​ing
: a tender or eager longing
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All