hankering

[ hang-ker-ing ]

noun

1. a longing; craving.

   Synonyms: thirst, yen, hunger, yearning, need, desire

Other Words From

• hanker·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hankering¹

First recorded in 1655–65; hanker + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

If you’re still hankering to go outdoors, try these trails that are far away from the burned areas.

From Los Angeles Times

If you find yourself hankering to hang a framed photo or light a candle inside your fridge, it may be time to get help.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet for more than a decade, Hovde, 60, has had a hankering to hold political office.

From Los Angeles Times

“I suddenly got a hankering for meat. You either give me a house or pay me with your bones!”

From Literature

I find myself sometimes having a lovely time, out to dinner with friends, say, and I’ll notice an insistent hankering for the dinner to be over.

From New York Times

Related Words

• craving
• pining
• yearning