Yearn – Meaning, Definition, Synonyms and Antonyms
Yearn is used as a verb in English. It means to have a strong, ongoing desire for something you want or for a situation you wish you had.
Meaning:
Yearn means to feel an intense longing or desire — often with a sense of hope or emotional pull toward what you want.
Definition:
To yearn is to want something deeply, not just briefly. This longing can be for a person, a place, an experience, or even a simpler way of living, and it can show up in someone’s thoughts, choices, and daily feelings.
Historically, yearn comes from the Old English root giernan, related to craving or desiring. The word entered common use in Middle English (around the 13th century), and it is still used today in both everyday and more literary speech.
Example Sentences:
- She yearned for a simpler, quieter life after moving to the city.
- He yearned to travel the world, so he saved money for a year-long trip.
- They yearned for the warmth of summer days during the long winter season.
- Many students yearn for feedback that helps them improve their writing.
- After months apart, I yearned to hear my friend’s voice again.
Yearn Synonyms:
- Aspire
- Long for (a past time, in a more poetic sense)
- Crave (for a strong, persistent desire)
- Desire
- Want
- Crave
- Pine
- Yearn (itself as a close restatement)
- Hope for
- Wish for
Yearn Antonyms:
- Dislike
- Hate
- Reject
- Abhor
- Ignore
- Resist
- Spurn
- Despise
If you enjoyed learning vocabulary for strong hopes and desires, you may also like words such as youth, which can connect naturally with themes of longing and change.
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