Word
craving
Phoneticscrav·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɹeɪvɪŋ/
UK/kɹˈeɪvɪŋ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a powerful feeling that you want or need something very much.
n. an intense, urgent desire or yearning for something specific.
Examples
“I have a craving for chocolate.”
“She developed a sudden craving for pickles during her first trimester of pregnancy.”
“The late-night craving for salty snacks often signals a need for rest rather than a genuine hunger for sodium.”
Examples
simple
“I have a craving for chocolate.”
contextual
“She developed a sudden craving for pickles during her first trimester of pregnancy.”
complex
“The late-night craving for salty snacks often signals a need for rest rather than a genuine hunger for sodium.”
Usage
Commonly followed by the preposition 'for'.
Pitfall
I have a craving of chocolate.
I have a craving for chocolate.
The noun 'craving' is followed by the preposition 'for', not 'of'.
Etymology
From Middle English cravinge, from Old English crafing (“claim, demand”); equivalent to crave + -ing.
From crave.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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