# hanker for

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hanker-for
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to have a strong desire for something, especially something you cannot have right now or something from the past.

For teachers: to have a strong, persistent desire or yearning for something; typically used with abstract nouns or nostalgic objects.

## Examples

- He still hankers for the quiet life of the countryside.
- After years of living abroad, she began to hanker for the familiar sights and sounds of her hometown.
- The aging professor seemed to hanker for a bygone era of academic rigor that his students no longer valued.

## Pitfalls

- Not "She is hankering to a new car." but "She is hankering for a new car." — the verb 'hanker' requires the preposition 'for' or 'after', never 'to'.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun or a gerund; 'hanker after' is a common alternative with the same meaning.
- Teaching tip: anchor this to the word 'hunger' to help students remember the sense of deep craving, though 'hanker' is more about emotional or nostalgic longing.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.