yearning

noun

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

Examples of yearning in a Sentence

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.
Modern filmmaking gets no better than Hernández’s balance of carnal and mundane conduct — Marco and Orlando’s physical yearning matches their career ambitions. Armond White, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025 The whole history of Good Wife, Good Fight and Elsbeth is there’s a yearning for imperfect justice in all those shows. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025 The overall effect on fans, based on social media chatter, has been simultaneous Jedi fatigue on the small screen and a yearning for a larger, sweeping stories in the cinema. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025 Some researchers have pointed to global instability, the isolating effects of digital life and the yearning for meaning in a post-pandemic world as possible drivers. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yearning

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

yearning

noun
yearn·​ing
: a tender or eager longing

More from Merriam-Webster on yearning

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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