yearned
past simple and past participle ofyearn
yearn
verb[I]
uk/jɜːn/us/jɝːn/C2
towishverystrongly,especiallyfor something that you cannot have or something that is verydifficultto have:
Despite hisgreatcommercialsuccesshe still yearnsforcriticalapproval.
[+ to infinitive]Sometimes I just yearntobealone.
Synonyms
longforsomething; long to dosomethingformal
pine
Wanting things
- ache forsomething
- acquisitive
- ambitious
- ambitiously
- angle
- angle forsomething
- desperate
- fancy
- hanker after/forsomething
- haveyoureye onsomethingidiom
- hunger
- hunger after/forsomething
- pine
- setyourheart onsomething/doing somethingidiom
- setyoursights onsomethingidiom
- shook
- sight
- someone'sheart's desireidiom
- straw
- super-ambitious
Examplesofyearned
yearned
In English, many past and present participles of verbs can be used as adjectives. Some of these examples may show the adjective use.
The picturesque hinted at, andyearnedfor, other social and urbanistic possibilities than were on offer in a city of remorseless modernity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Yearning is typically identified by a dull ache in the region of the diaphragm, a feeling of emptiness, and recurrent thoughts of theyearned-for object.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Heyearnedto be able to love himself and the world, but his insights into the black side of human nature stood in the way of this.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Their vocal style, lyric and composition do not set out to unsettle, and 'home' is oftenyearnedfor in idealised pastoral romantic terms.
From theCambridge English Corpus
They hadyearnedfor peace, they had organised for peace.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I hope that they will show that they do not want anything that will frustrate the attainment of that muchyearned-for millenium.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Heyearnedfor conciliation—for the reconciliation of the feuds of centuries; heyearnedpassionately for it.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Naturally, because of their limited freedom, theyyearnedto walk among those hills.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Heyearnedas a man who wanted to see conciliation before his hour struck; he laboured for it.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not wonder that heyearnedfor recognition from his colleagues.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Theyyearnedfor freedom throughout that period.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
His heartyearnedfor the public interest.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Although heyearnedfor an active role, his youthful health woes caused the draft board to mark him for limited service.
From
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.When she lived with her great-grandmother, playing in a village that had many streams, sheyearnedto become a teacher and a policewoman.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.Heyearnedfor a freer existence in which he could create for the sheer joy of creating.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
- showpiece
- show pony
- show-pony
- show ring
- show-ring
- showroom
- showrooming
- show-round
- showrunner
- show sb around (sth)
- show-sb-around-sth
- show sb in their true colours
- show-sb-in-their-true-colours
- show sb out
- show-sb-out
- show sb over sth
- show-sb-over-sth
- show sb round (sth)
- show-sb-round-sth
- show sb the door
- sick day
- sick-day
- sicken
- sickened
- sickening