Yearnings: meaning, definitions and examples

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yearnings

 

[ หˆjษœหrnษชล‹z ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

emotional desires

Intense or strong desires, especially of a sentimental or romantic nature. Yearnings often refer to deep longings or cravings for something or someone.

Synonyms

cravings, desires, longings.

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Word Description / Examples
yearnings

Strong feelings of wanting something, often combined with sadness. Typically used when someone deeply desires something intangible or difficult to obtain.

  • She had yearnings for a simpler life
  • His yearnings for adventure never went away
longings

Persistent and emotional desires, often for something unattainable or far off. It implies a sense of melancholy or nostalgia.

  • He felt longings for his homeland
  • The longings for a lost love can be haunting
cravings

Intense desires, often sudden and for something specific such as food or a substance. It usually implies a physical or psychological urge.

  • Pregnant women often have strange food cravings
  • His cravings for nicotine were hard to ignore
desires

Strong wants or wishes, generally neutral in tone, and used in both physical and abstract contexts.

  • Her desires to travel the world consumed her thoughts
  • The desires for success can drive people to work harder

Examples of usage

  • She couldn't shake off the yearnings she felt for her lost love.
  • His yearnings for adventure led him to travel the world.
  • The character in the novel experienced yearnings for a better life.
Context #2 | Noun

strong feelings of nostalgia

Intense feelings of nostalgia or longing for the past. Yearnings in this context often involve a sense of melancholy or wistfulness.

Synonyms

longing, nostalgia, sentimentality.

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Word Description / Examples
yearnings

Used when expressing a strong, often emotional desire for something that one cannot easily obtain or achieve, possibly involving deep emotions or intensity.

  • She had yearnings to travel the world and explore new cultures
  • His yearnings for success drove him to work tirelessly
nostalgia

This is appropriate for describing a sentimental longing for the past, often with a focus on positive recollections and memories.

  • Grandpa often spoke with nostalgia about his youth
  • Listening to that old song filled her with nostalgia for her school days
longing

Applied when describing an intense, sometimes painful desire for something or someone, often with a focus on an emotional or personal connection.

  • After moving to a new city, he felt a deep longing for his old friends
  • Her longing to see her family grew stronger each day
sentimentality

Best used when referring to excessive tenderness, sadness, or affection, which might sometimes be considered overly emotional or lacking in practicality.

  • His sentimentality made him cry during every movie
  • She kept her childhood toys out of pure sentimentality

Examples of usage

  • Listening to the old song filled her with yearnings for her childhood.
  • He often experienced yearnings for the days when life was simpler.
  • Visiting his hometown brought back yearnings for his youth.
Context #3 | Noun

strong wishes for the future

Strong wishes or aspirations for the future. Yearnings in this sense involve hopes and dreams for what is yet to come.

Synonyms

aspirations, dreams, wishes.

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Word Description / Examples
yearnings

Strong, often melancholic desires for something that seems out of reach or distant. It implies a deep emotional longing.

  • She always had yearnings for the peaceful countryside she grew up in
  • Despite his success, he couldn't shake off his yearnings for a simpler life
aspirations

Ambitious or lofty goals that someone strives to achieve, often related to personal or professional growth.

  • His aspirations included becoming a leading scientist in his field
  • The company's aspirations for global expansion are well known
dreams

Hopes or goals that one wishes to accomplish, often with an element of imagination or fantasy. Dreams can be realistic or unrealistic.

  • She had dreams of traveling the world one day
  • His childhood dreams of being an astronaut never dimmed
wishes

Desires for something specific to happen, often with an element of fantasy or improbability. Can be less intense than yearnings.

  • He made a wish to find true love one day
  • Her birthday wishes included happiness and health for her family

Examples of usage

  • Her yearnings for a successful career kept her motivated.
  • The students expressed their yearnings for a more inclusive society.
  • The yearnings for a better tomorrow fueled their activism.

Translations

Translations of the word "yearnings" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น anseios

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฒเคพเคฒเคธเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Sehnsรผchte

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ kerinduan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฟั€ะฐะณะฝะตะฝะฝั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ tฤ™sknoty

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆ†งใ‚Œ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท aspirations

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ anhelos

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท รถzlemler

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ฐˆ๋ง

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุชูˆู‚

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ touhy

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ tรบลพby

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆธดๆœ›

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ hrepenenje

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ รพrรก

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›าฑัˆั‚ะฐั€ะปั‹า›

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒแƒœแƒแƒขแƒ แƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ hษ™srษ™t

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ anhelos

Etymology

The word 'yearnings' originates from the Old English word 'gyrnung', which means 'desire' or 'longing'. Over time, the term has evolved to encompass a range of emotional desires, including sentimental longings, nostalgia, and aspirations. Yearnings often reflect the deep-seated human desire for connection, fulfillment, and meaning in life.

See also: yearningly.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,207, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.