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Wistful vs Yearning - What's the difference?

wistful | yearning |

As an adjective wistful

is full of yearning or longing.

As a noun yearning is

a wistful or melancholy longing.

As a verb yearning is

present participle of lang=en.

wistful

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • full of yearning or longing
    • His eyes grew wistful as he recalled his university days.
  • sad and thoughtful

    • Synonyms

    * (thoughtful sadness) (l)

    References

    yearning

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A wistful or melancholy longing.
    • She had a yearning to see her long-lost sister again.
  • (archaic) rennet

    • Related terms

    * yearn

    Verb

    (head)
    • English abstract nouns