They looked with longing toward freedom.
She cast a look of longing at the shop window.
She never told anyone about her secret longings.
Recent Examples on the WebInstead, single piano notes are paired with strings and a faraway synth altogether conjuring a feeling of distance and longing, mystery and depth.—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2024 Stories of love and longing are universal, but how they are felt depends on how that love is constructed by the author.—Myisha Battle, TIME, 2 Aug. 2024 Brands have been seizing this feeling of longing for a better past in all sorts of ways—from flexi-cassettes, butterfly clips and vivid colors that echo the cheerful of the ’90s.—Michael Kuzminov, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 There are maternal cries of longing, deep pain and regret.—Arin Yoon, NPR, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for longing
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'longing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of longing was
before the 12th century
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