hanker (for or after)

verb

ˈhaŋ-kər How to pronounce hanker (for or after) (audio)
Definition of hanker (for or after)next
as in to crave
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy hankering for some company in his lonely mountain cabin hanker after a life of leisure

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hanker distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hanker are hunger, long, pine, thirst, and yearn. While all these words mean "to have a strong desire for something," hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

How are the words hunger and thirst related as synonyms of hanker?

Both hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

When can long be used instead of hanker?

While the synonyms long and hanker are close in meaning, long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

When is it sensible to use pine instead of hanker?

Although the words pine and hanker have much in common, pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

Where would yearn be a reasonable alternative to hanker?

The synonyms yearn and hanker are sometimes interchangeable, but yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanker (for or after)
  1. crave
  2. want
Verb
  • Some employees crave in-person collaboration, while others question the necessity of reverting to old norms.
    — Dr. Adil Dalal, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • However, for visitors craving long stretches of uninterrupted coastline, Padre Island National Seashore and Mustang Island State Park are fantastic destinations to explore.
    — Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 24 July 2025
Definition of crave
Verb
  • The challenge for Burrows was that more than 55 of the 88 Republican House members wanted someone else to be speaker.
    — John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • But Turner wants to encourage states that are welcoming these projects to think ahead.
    — Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
Definition of want
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hanker (for)
hanker (for or after)
hankering
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Cite this Entry

“Hanker (for or after).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanker%20%28for%20or%20after%29. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

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