1
as in feeling (for)
to have sympathy for
I ache for those people who have to spend the holidays alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in craving
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
aching for some quiet time to himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aching (for)
Verb
-
An overt sweetness had our tasters craving something more savory.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Feb. 2026 -
In a city built around tourism, sports has become a hook for visitors craving a Vegas spin on it.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The mother took him in, pitying his orphan status and appreciating his straightforward manners, neither servile nor presumptuous, but respectful and unembarrassed and warm.—
Daniyal Mueenuddin,
New Yorker,
23 Nov. 2025
-
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Blenkarn and Lim also spoke in an interview prior to the show of wanting to re-create the sensation of gathering around a television and passing a controller back and forth among family or friends while offering commentary on someone’s play style.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Panthers went into those games not just wanting to win, but to bury the opposition.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Aching (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aching%20%28for%29. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
