# pine away

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pine-away
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is pining away his ex-girlfriend." but "He is pining for his ex-girlfriend." — 'pine away' is an intransitive phrasal verb and cannot take a direct object.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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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.