Word
longing
Phoneticslong·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫɔŋɪŋ/
UK/lˈɒŋɪŋ/
Definitions
01deep desire
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a strong, often sad feeling of wanting something or someone you cannot have right now.
n. an intense, persistent, and often melancholic desire for something or someone, typically characterized by a sense of absence or distance.
“After living in the city for years, he felt a deep longing for the quiet countryside.”
“Her poetry often explores the bittersweet longing for a childhood home that no longer exists in the physical world.”
Usage
Commonly follows the pattern 'longing for [something]' or 'longing to [do something].'
Pitfall
She had a longing of her old home.
She had a longing for her old home.
The noun 'longing' is almost always followed by the preposition 'for'.
Antonyms
02finance
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical
n. buying an investment because you expect its price to go up.
n. the act of purchasing a financial instrument with the expectation that its market value will appreciate. Usually functions as a gerund or part of a compound.
“The trader's longing of the tech stock proved profitable when the prices rose.”
“The fund's strategy involved the aggressive longing of emerging market currencies in anticipation of a regional economic recovery.”
Usage
In modern finance, 'going long' is more common as a verbal phrase, but 'longing' appears in technical trading contexts.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“It was still not easy for Gonzalez to leave Manchester City , where he felt settled, but Newcastle will give him the platform he has been longing for as a key player.” “I have an armchair theory about all this counterfactual longing: the lure of the do-over.” Etymology
From Middle English longynge, langynge, langand, from Old English langiende, from Proto-Germanic langōndz, present participle of Proto-Germanic langōną (“to desire, long for”), equivalent to long + -ing (present participle ending).
From Middle English longinge, langynge, from Old English longung, langung (“longing, desire”), from Proto-Germanic langungō, gerund of Proto-Germanic langōną (“to desire, long for”), equivalent to long + -ing (gerund ending).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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