# Longs

/ˈɫɔŋz/ (US) · /lˈɒŋz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/longs
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

to want something very much, especially when it is difficult to get or will take a long time to happen.

For teachers: to have a strong, persistent desire for something or someone. Typically describes a deep emotional yearning rather than a simple preference.

## Examples

- She longs for the day when she can travel again.
- After years of living in the crowded city, he longs for the peace and quiet of the countryside.
- The protagonist longs for a sense of belonging that has eluded him since his childhood departure from his ancestral home.

## Pitfalls

- Not "She longs the summer holidays." but "She longs for the summer holidays." — Long is intransitive and requires the preposition 'for' before a noun object.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive and is almost always followed by the preposition 'for' or a to-infinitive.

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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.