Phrasal verb
pine away
Definition
phrasal verb. to become weak or unhappy because you miss someone or something very much. You use this when someone is so sad that they stop caring for themselves.
phrasal verb. to decline in health or vigor due to intense grief or unrequited longing. The verb is intransitive and carries a literary or romantic register.
Examples
“He began to pine away after his partner moved abroad.”
“After the loss of her childhood home, she seemed to pine away, losing interest in her hobbies and friends.”
“The poet describes a character pining away in solitude, her physical decline serving as a poignant metaphor for her unrequited love.”
Examples
simple
“He began to pine away after his partner moved abroad.”
contextual
“After the loss of her childhood home, she seemed to pine away, losing interest in her hobbies and friends.”
complex
“The poet describes a character pining away in solitude, her physical decline serving as a poignant metaphor for her unrequited love.”
Usage
this phrase is intransitive and describes a slow process of physical or emotional wasting.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'pine for', which takes an object; 'pine away' focuses on the state of the person suffering rather than the object of their affection.
Pitfall
He is pining away his ex-girlfriend.
He is pining for his ex-girlfriend.
'pine away' is an intransitive phrasal verb and cannot take a direct object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
pine + away
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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