jones
1 of 2verb
ˈjōnz 
jonesed; jonesing; joneses
intransitive verb
slang
: to have a strong desire or craving for something
he was jonesing for a drink
jones
2 of 2noun
1
slang : an avid desire or appetite for something : craving
2
slang : habit, addiction
especially : addiction to heroin
3
slang : heroin
Synonyms
Verb
- ache (for)
- covet
- crave
- desiderate
- desire
- die (for)
- hanker (for or after)
- hunger (for)
- itch (for)
- long (for)
- lust (for or after)
- pant (after)
- pine (for)
- repine (for)
- salivate (for)
- sigh (for)
- thirst (for)
- want
- wish (for)
- yearn (for)
- yen (for)
Noun
- addiction
- dependence
- dependance
- habit
- monkey
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun that dude had a jones for heroin like you wouldn't believe I have a real jones for a milk shake.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2020 For those jonesing for their Orange Is the New Black fix, help has arrived. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Oct. 2019 Somehow, even the misty-eyed writers of Hallmark cards seem to have missed the beautiful and romantic literary potential of two married adults having extramarital affairs and jonesing to ditch their spouses and kids in order to be together. Ask Amy, al, 29 May 2019 Spring is barely here, and yet, people are already jonesing for summer, and with it, beach season. Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, 15 Apr. 2019 Tesla owners have been jonesing for this update for years, though the company describes the feature as a beta version. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 6 Nov. 2018 Any of these four jackets could save your skinSpring has me jonesing to get outside in warm weather again. Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2018 The Giants aren’t the only team that might be jonesing for Belichick. Peter King, SI.com, 5 Jan. 2018 Trump never stops jonesing for likes and retweets on Twitter as in life. Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 7 June 2017 New York Times, 1 May 2022 Kesha is indulging her jones for all things paranormal and unexplained in the upcoming discovery+ series Conjuring Kesha. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2021 That Jason Momoa has a jones for jeans should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. Adam Tschorn, latimes.com, 5 June 2019 See More
Verb
But who among us is not jonesing to skip town and ride the rails, hoping the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train? James Poniewozik, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2020 For those jonesing for their Orange Is the New Black fix, help has arrived. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Oct. 2019 Somehow, even the misty-eyed writers of Hallmark cards seem to have missed the beautiful and romantic literary potential of two married adults having extramarital affairs and jonesing to ditch their spouses and kids in order to be together. Ask Amy, al, 29 May 2019 Spring is barely here, and yet, people are already jonesing for summer, and with it, beach season. Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, 15 Apr. 2019 Tesla owners have been jonesing for this update for years, though the company describes the feature as a beta version. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 6 Nov. 2018 Any of these four jackets could save your skinSpring has me jonesing to get outside in warm weather again. Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2018 The Giants aren’t the only team that might be jonesing for Belichick. Peter King, SI.com, 5 Jan. 2018 Trump never stops jonesing for likes and retweets on Twitter as in life. Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 7 June 2017 Noun
The beltway media world has always had a sort of jones for celebrities, and celebrities have often loved them right back, a mutual appreciation society that reached its apogee during the correspondents’ dinners of the Obama years. New York Times, 1 May 2022 Kesha is indulging her jones for all things paranormal and unexplained in the upcoming discovery+ series Conjuring Kesha. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2021 That Jason Momoa has a jones for jeans should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. Adam Tschorn, latimes.com, 5 June 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
derivative of jones entry 2
Noun
of uncertain origin
Note: Presumably from the surname Jones, though the reason for the allusion, if there is any, is apparently unknown. The final s is comparable to the pseudo-plural s of diseases (measles, shingles) and unpleasant or uncontrollable conditions (hots, jitters, yips).
First Known Use
Verb
1981, in the meaning defined above
Noun
circa 1962, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Biographical Definition
Jones 1 of 5
biographical name (1)
ˈjōnz
Anson 1798–1858 president of the Republic of Texas (1844–46)
Jones
2 of 5biographical name (2)
Howard Mumford 1892–1980 American educator and critic
Jones
3 of 5biographical name (3)
In*i*go ˈi-ni-ˌgō 1573–1652 English architect
1573–1652 English architect Jones
4 of 5biographical name (4)
John Paul 1747–1792 originally in full John Paul American (Scottish-born) naval officer
Jones
5 of 5biographical name (5)
Quincy 1933– American composer, bandleader, and producer
jonesing
adjective
as in craving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- craving
- addicted
- hooked
- dependent
- strung out
- zonked
- stoned
- intoxicated
- bombed
- ripped
- blitzed
- zonked-out
- hopped-up
- blasted
- loaded
- wasted
- wiped out
- spaced-out
- high
- spaced
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- straight
- sober
- abstinent
- nonaddicted
- clean
- clearheaded
- abstemious
- temperate