: 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
These candid conversations peel back the layers of one of cinema’s most enduring icons, revealing a woman at odds with her public image, yearning for respect and agency.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 18 June 2024
By embracing Juneteenth, Americans of all backgrounds can gain a deeper understanding of the Black experience and find common ground in the universal yearning for freedom and equality that defines us as a people.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2024
But today, dopamine has become a cultural catch-all, shorthand for focus, yearning, and joy.
—Celia Ford, Vox, 22 May 2024
After decades of tolerating workaholic culture as the norm, employees are tired, unafraid to show it and yearning to yank back control of their lives.
—Amy X. Wang, New York Times, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for yearning 
Brent Lang, Variety, 18 June 2024
By embracing Juneteenth, Americans of all backgrounds can gain a deeper understanding of the Black experience and find common ground in the universal yearning for freedom and equality that defines us as a people.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2024
But today, dopamine has become a cultural catch-all, shorthand for focus, yearning, and joy.
—Celia Ford, Vox, 22 May 2024
After decades of tolerating workaholic culture as the norm, employees are tired, unafraid to show it and yearning to yank back control of their lives.
—Amy X. Wang, New York Times, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for yearning
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yearning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Yearning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearning. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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