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: a tender or urgent longing
a yearning for justice
Synonyms
Examples of yearning in a Sentence
had a sudden yearning for something sweet
Recent Examples on the Web
Stella isn’t being betrayed — if anything, she’s being reached out to, desperately, like her light-years-away namesake, by two yearning humans with their feet, at least for now, stuck on the ground.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
Behind every unresolved murder case is a family that never stopped mourning or yearning for justice.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
With a chopper, nothing is out of reach – and for the intrepid explorer yearning for true isolation, this is the stuff of dreams.
—Shaun Stanley, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024
Poetic ruminations on imprisonment in a foreign land and yearning for a home that may no longer exist are supported by Wally Badarou and Dean Blunt’s entrancing synth score.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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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
Dictionary Entries Near yearning
Cite this Entry
“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
yearning
noun
yearn·ing
: a tender or eager longing
More from Merriam-Webster on yearning
Nglish: Translation of yearning for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of yearning for Arabic Speakers
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