# longing for

CEFR B2 · Fixed phrase

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/longing-for
Updated: 2026-08-02

## Definition

a strong feeling of wanting something or someone that is far away or difficult to get.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He has a longing of his childhood." but "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.

## Usage notes

- 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).

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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.