Yearning — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈyər-niŋ/ yearn·ing

Meaning & Definition of Yearning

Yearning (noun)

  1. a tender or urgent longing

Yearning (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a strong wish for something

    "had a sudden yearning for something sweet"

    similar: appetency, appetite, craving, desire, drive, hankering, hunger, itch, jones (slang), letch, longing, lust, passion, pining, thirst, thirstiness, urge, yen
    related: compulsion, impulse, impulsion, will, zeal, liking, love, taste, weakness, eagerness, impatience, want, wish, necessity, need, requirement, obsession, acquisitiveness, avarice, avariciousness, avidity, covetousness, cupidity, greed, greediness, rapaciousness, rapacity, cacoëthes, mania
    near: abhorrence, abomination, allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disgust, disinclination, dislike, disliking, distaste, hatred, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion, apathy, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern

Yearning (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in crying, pressing

    similar: clamorous, crying, pressing, demanding, exigent, importunate, insistent, urgent, avid, rapacious, ravenous, voracious, unappeased, unsatisfied, inappeasable, inextinguishable, insatiable, insatiate, quenchless, unappeasable, unquenchable, unslakable
    opposite: appeasable, extinguishable, satiable, satisfiable, satiate, satiated, satisfied, controlled, curbed, restrained

Yearning (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in longing, pining

    similar: longing, pining, agonizing, chafing, bothering, fearing, fretting, fussing, stewing, stressing, sweating, troubling, worrying, despairing
    opposite: accepting, abiding, bearing, enduring, sticking out, stomaching, sustaining, taking, tolerating

Related Entry: Yearn (for) (verb)

Yearn (for) is a different word from Yearning. The synonyms below are for yearn (for), not for yearning.

  1. to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy

    "yearned for a little house in the country"

    similar: ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for), jones (for) (slang), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), want, wish (for), yen (for), set one's heart on
    related: spoil (for), adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, love, relish, revel (in), favor, prefer, admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value
    near: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, decline, refuse, reject, spurn

Related Entry: Yearn (over) (verb)

Yearn (over) is a different word from Yearning. The synonyms below are for yearn (over), not for yearning.

  1. to have sympathy for

    "who wouldn't yearn over the poor little girl who fell and scraped her knee?"

    similar: ache (for), bleed (for), commiserate (with), compassionate, condole (with), feel (for), pity, sympathize (with)
    related: care (for), grieve (for), sorrow (for), love, empathize (with), identify (with), tolerate, understand
    near: disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, dislike, hate, scorn

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Yearning

The most common words with a similar meaning to Yearning:

Slang: jones
appetency, appetite, craving, desire, drive, hankering, hunger, itch, letch, longing, lust, passion, pining, thirst, thirstiness, urge, yen, clamorous, crying, pressing, demanding, exigent, importunate, insistent, urgent, avid, rapacious, ravenous, voracious, unappeased, unsatisfied, inappeasable, inextinguishable, insatiable, insatiate, quenchless, unappeasable, unquenchable, unslakable, agonizing

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Yearning

Words with the opposite meaning of Yearning:

appeasable, extinguishable, satiable, satisfiable, satiate, satiated, satisfied, controlled, curbed, restrained, accepting, abiding, bearing, enduring, sticking out, stomaching, sustaining, taking, tolerating

Related Words for Yearning

compulsion, impulse, impulsion, will, zeal, liking, love, taste, weakness, eagerness, impatience, want, wish, necessity, need, requirement, obsession, acquisitiveness, avarice, avariciousness, avidity, covetousness, cupidity, greed, greediness, rapaciousness, rapacity, cacoëthes, mania

Near Antonyms of Yearning

abhorrence, abomination, allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disgust, disinclination, dislike, disliking, distaste, hatred, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion, apathy, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern

Origin & Etymology of Yearning

First known use: before 12th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Yearning

What does "Yearning" mean?

"Yearning" means a tender or urgent longing. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a tender or urgent longing. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Yearning"?

Other words for "Yearning" include appetency, appetite, craving, desire, drive, hankering, hunger and itch. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Yearning" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Yearning"?

There are 81 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Yearning". Common alternatives include appetency, appetite, craving, desire, drive, hankering, hunger, itch, jones and letch.

What is the opposite of "Yearning"?

Antonyms of "Yearning" include appeasable, extinguishable, satiable, satisfiable, satiate, satiated, satisfied and controlled. Near antonyms include abhorrence, abomination, allergy and averseness.

How do you use "Yearning" in a sentence?

Examples of "Yearning" in a sentence: "had a sudden yearning for something sweet".

Is "Yearning" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Yearning" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Yearning"?

"Yearning" is pronounced /ˈyər-niŋ/ and divided into syllables as yearn·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Yearning"?

First known use: before 12th century.