long for
To want something very much — so much it almost hurts, especially if you can't have it.
Meanings
To feel a strong, often emotional desire for something you do not have or cannot easily reach.
"After years abroad, she longed for the familiar streets of her hometown."
"We long for the day when all people will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
— Martin Luther King Jr., 'I Have a Dream' speech, 1963 (paraphrased from the speech's themes; the direct quote is '...not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character')
To miss a person deeply and wish they were present.
"He longed for his children every moment he was away on the long deployment."
Used for strong emotional longing, often for people, places, or times that are lost, distant, or unattainable. Common in literature, poetry, and personal expression. Not used for mild preferences — reserve it for genuine emotional desire.
Commonly used with
Forms
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