Word
longing for
Definition
fixed phrase. a strong feeling of wanting something or someone that is far away or difficult to get.
fixed phrase. a persistent, intense desire for something currently unattainable or absent. Often used to describe a nostalgic or emotional yearning.
Examples
“She felt a deep longing for her home in the mountains.”
“After years of living in the city, he had a constant longing for the quiet life of the countryside.”
“The poet captures a profound longing for a lost era of innocence that can never truly be reclaimed.”
Examples
simple
“She felt a deep longing for her home in the mountains.”
contextual
“After years of living in the city, he had a constant longing for the quiet life of the countryside.”
complex
“The poet captures a profound longing for a lost era of innocence that can never truly be reclaimed.”
Usage
usually follows a noun or verb to describe the target of a strong desire.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'craving' (usually for food or physical needs) and 'yearning' (a very close synonym, though 'longing' is more common in everyday literature).
Pitfall
He has a longing of his childhood.
He has a longing for his childhood.
the noun 'longing' and the verb 'long' both require the preposition 'for' to connect to the object of desire.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/longing-for