yearningyearn‧ing /ˈjɜːnɪŋ $ ˈjɜːr-/ noun [countable, uncountable] literary 
a yearning for travelyearning to do something He had a deep yearning to return to his home town.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Already my body was beginning to feel restless: demanding reunification with the object of its yearning.
- Call it yearning, or more realistically call it leching or lusting.
- How could she feel her whole body yearning for him, when logic and reason told her that it shouldn't be?
- It was a yearning far more powerful than any yearning of the senses.
- This is a yearning which mankind insists shall be fulfilled and it has a specialised organ for doing this.
- We now look at the gothic exaggeration and moody drama of Victorian landscapes and we learn of their romantic yearnings.
- Yet despite the vibrant colours Modigliani captured something of the wistful yearning of his nature.
Longman Language Activatora feeling that you want to do or have something
especially written a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wanting to do something, especially something important, which makes you try very hard to have it or do it: desire to do something: · Young children have a keen desire to learn and succeed.desire for: · After so many years of war, there was a great desire for peace.a strong/keen/burning desire: · Young Peryoux left home for Paris, armed with a guitar, and a burning desire to succeed.
formal something that you want to happen, especially when this is very important to you: · His last wish was that his body should be buried in his home town.somebody's dearest/greatest wish (=the thing they want most of all): · She always wanted to see her grandchildren again - it was her dearest wish.
a very strong and long-lasting desire for something that you are unlikely to get - used especially in stories and literature: longing/yearning for: · She felt a great longing for the sights, sounds and smells of home.· The story gives a sensitive account of Paul's innocent yearning for love and affection.longing/yearning to do something: · At 18 I had a strong yearning to leave my small town, and see the world.
a very strong and uncontrollable desire to have something that you think about all the time, especially food, attention, or a drug: · After a week without smoking, the craving began to disappear.craving for: · The symptoms include a craving for sweet foods.
a very strong desire to have something, such as money or power, that can make you do evil things to get what you want: lust for: · Throughout his career he was motivated by a lust for power.· Her lust for money is insatiable.
a strong desire to have something regularly or do something regularly: appetite for: · He has a tremendous appetite for hard work.insatiable appetite (=extremely strong appetite): · The public has an insatiable appetite for scandal and political controversy.whet somebody's appetite (=make it stronger): · The dangers of the climb up Mt. Washington only whetted our appetite for more adventure.
a strong desire to do something, even though you know it is wrong, dangerous, unnecessary etc: temptation to do something: · There is always a temptation to blame others for your own problems.resist the temptation (=not do something, even though you want to): · Resist the temptation to get involved. After all, it's not your problem.give in to temptation (=to do something, after trying not to): · In the end, he gave in to temptation, and lit his first cigarette in five days.
an extremely strong desire, usually an unreasonable one, that is difficult or impossible to control: · The patient had a compulsion that caused him to wash his hands 20 or 30 times a day.compulsion to do something: · He felt a sudden compulsion to laugh out loud.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He had a deep yearning to return to his home town.
a strong desire for something SYN longingyearning for He had a deep yearning to return to his home town. a yearning for travelyearning to do something He had a deep yearning to return to his home town.