as in craving
a strong wish for something
I've had a hankering for pizza with anchovies all afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in longing
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Recent Examples of hankering
Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
And for the kids who get a hankering to try the sport/lifestyle, consider a learn-to camp.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
And if fig is the focus but a cake isn’t calling your name, try one of these fresh and flavorful fig recipes to satisfy any sudden hankering.
—Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
For those with a hankering for farm-to-table cuisine, Handle’s menu of fresh, simple dishes will satiate the craving.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
For them, socialism has meant only a hankering for state tyranny and brazen assaults on property rights that, together, threaten the beliefs every patriotic citizen holds dear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Anyone who doesn’t hold the same nostalgic hankering for veteran actresses holding court with one-woman shows might not be blamed for opting out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
However, unlike the previous homeowner, the woman does not have any hankering to host any of those other kids in her yard.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Studies also indicate that for some people, cravings for highly palatable foods go well beyond just a normal hankering for a snack and are, in fact, signs of addictive behavior.
—Claire Wilcox, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
That’s the bit missing these days, and that’s why there’s a hankering for what some people call the West Ham Way.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
And for the kids who get a hankering to try the sport/lifestyle, consider a learn-to camp.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
And if fig is the focus but a cake isn’t calling your name, try one of these fresh and flavorful fig recipes to satisfy any sudden hankering.
—Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
For those with a hankering for farm-to-table cuisine, Handle’s menu of fresh, simple dishes will satiate the craving.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
For them, socialism has meant only a hankering for state tyranny and brazen assaults on property rights that, together, threaten the beliefs every patriotic citizen holds dear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Anyone who doesn’t hold the same nostalgic hankering for veteran actresses holding court with one-woman shows might not be blamed for opting out.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
However, unlike the previous homeowner, the woman does not have any hankering to host any of those other kids in her yard.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Studies also indicate that for some people, cravings for highly palatable foods go well beyond just a normal hankering for a snack and are, in fact, signs of addictive behavior.
—Claire Wilcox, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hankering
Noun
-
And if this doesn’t satisfy all your hot honey cravings, other brands have their own sweet and spicy creations, including Wingstop, Smithfield, Ritz, and even Aldi.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
23 Jan. 2026
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This shift helps explain why mental exhaustion often comes with stronger cravings for quick rewards, like sugary snacks, comfort foods or mindless scrolling.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Werther, in his self-delusion, embodies another Goethean type, the longing man—ordinary, but convinced of the extraordinariness of his feelings.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Today’s newsletter explores how to embrace being an outsider, and how to resist the urge to immediately fit in.—
Rafaela Jinich,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Cook, resisting the urge to break it up too much at first.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The brainchild of Chris Roberts, the mind behind Wing Commander and Freelancer, Star Citizen is probably the most ambitious ongoing project in video games, having raised nearly one billion dollars in funding as of this writing.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Originally conceived in the late 1950s as an ambitious shopping mall, the project was never completed and was later repurposed by security forces.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This follows a general trend of people reporting less desire to get married and have families at a young age.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Born from Raimi’s desire to make a movie about pulp hero the Shadow before he was denied the rights by Universal, Darkman is an original creation, starring Liam Neeson as a scientist who is disfigured in a mob attack and given superpowers thanks to an experimental treatment.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders.—
Matt Kamen,
Wired News,
3 Aug. 2025
-
This is, in part, correct: Voldemort is extremely covetous of power.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
There’s a thirst for community.—
Hannah Karp,
Billboard,
28 Jan. 2026
-
For decades, those in Region C have said more water is needed to quench the thirst population and business growth that has flocked to North Texas; meanwhile, Region D residents have pleaded for alternative options that wouldn’t displace them.—
Lana Ferguson,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This was the same period that comedy took center stage in my own life, leading me to become obsessed with closely examining every new entry to the field.—
Merrill Markoe,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
-
In the early 20th century, Western explorers became obsessed with the peak of Mount Everest.—
Christopher Ferguson,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hankering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hankering. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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