Yearn

Pronunciation: /jɜːrn/

Definitions of yearn

verb to have an intense desire or longing for something

Example Sentences

A1 I yearn for a piece of chocolate.

A2 She yearns to travel the world.

B1 Many people yearn for a sense of belonging.

B2 As she looked out at the ocean, she yearned for freedom.

C1 The artist yearned for recognition for her work.

C2 Despite his success, he still yearned for something more in life.

Examples of yearn in a Sentence

formal Many individuals yearn for a sense of purpose in their careers.

informal I yearn for the weekend to finally arrive.

slang She's always yearning for some excitement in her life.

figurative The old tree seemed to yearn for the days when children used to play beneath its branches.

Grammatical Forms of yearn

• past tense: yearned
• plural: yearn
• comparative: more yearning
• superlative: most yearning
• present tense: yearn
• future tense: will yearn
• perfect tense: have yearned
• continuous tense: is yearning
• singular: yearns
• positive degree: yearn
• infinitive: to yearn
• gerund: yearning
• participle: yearning

Origin and Evolution of yearn

First Known Use: 1000 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'yearn' originated from the Old English word 'gearnian' which means to long for or desire.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'yearn' has retained its original meaning of intense longing or desire, but has also come to be used in a more general sense to express a strong feeling or craving for something.