longing
Americannoun
-
strong, persistent desire or craving, especially for something unattainable or distant.
filled with longing for home.
- Synonyms:
- aspiration
- Antonyms:
- apathy
-
an instance of this.
a sudden longing to see old friends.
adjective
noun
adjective
Related Words
See desire.
Other Word Forms
- longingly adverb
- longingness noun
Etymology
Origin of longing
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English langung; equivalent to long 2 + -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After 25 years of bouncing around the globe with Gorillaz, he’s still longing for a jet lag cure.
From Los Angeles Times
Her spirit secrets, her longing for Elisha, or her growing preference for a different kind of life?
From Literature
“Oh, then is it longing you feel? Do you fear that it was the last icicle pop you’ll ever come across? Because I can tell you, that it is highly unlikely, scientifically speaking.”
From Literature
I had never seen such tender, longing looks on their faces.
From Literature
Trot songs often express "han" - a deep-seated feeling of sorrow, resentment and longing shaped by Korea's history of foreign subjugation and one of the most enduring themes in Korean culture.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
