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Yearn vs Longing - What's the difference?

yearn | longing |

As verbs the difference between yearn and longing

is that yearn is to long, have a strong desire (for something) while longing is present participle of lang=en.

As a noun longing is

an earnest and deep, not greatly passionate, but rather melancholic desire.

yearn

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) giernan, from (etyl) .

Verb

(en verb)
  • To long, have a strong desire (for something).
  • * All I yearn for is a simple life.
  • To long for something in the past with melancholy, nostalgically
  • To be pained or distressed; to grieve; to mourn.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Falstaff he is dead, and we must yearn therefore.
  • To pain; to grieve; to vex.
  • * Shakespeare
    • It would yearn your heart to see it.
  • * Shakespeare
    • It yearns me not if men my garments wear.
    Derived terms
    () * yearner * yearnful * yearnly * yearning * yearnsome * yearny

    Etymology 2

    See .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (Scotland) To curdle, as milk.

    • Anagrams

    *

    See also

    crave English control verbs English intransitive verbs

    longing

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An earnest and deep, not greatly passionate, but rather melancholic desire.
  • The buying of a financial instrument with the expectation that its value will rise

    • Synonyms

    * yearning

    Related terms

    * long

    See also

    * desire * miss