long 1 of 4

long

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noun

long

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adverb

long

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word long distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of long are hanker, hunger, pine, thirst, and yearn. While all these words mean "to have a strong desire for something," long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

When would hanker be a good substitute for long?

Although the words hanker and long have much in common, hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

How are the words hunger and thirst related as synonyms of long?

Both hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

When can pine be used instead of long?

The meanings of pine and long largely overlap; however, pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

When is it sensible to use yearn instead of long?

The words yearn and long are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of long
Adjective
At this point in the season, the spring-blooming perennials are long past their prime. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 19 July 2025 Instead, swap them out for a lightweight quilt to keep you comfortable and sleeping easily all summer long. Jacqueline Tempera, People.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
But while Haim longs to be a grandmother, the issue of using the sperm of deceased men remains controversial. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 7 July 2025 What parts of you have longed for deeper security, softer spaces, or more nourishing roots? Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 June 2025
Adverb
Wear The Right Clothing Wear loose-fitting, light-colored long sleeves, long pants, and a hat with fine netting for outdoor activities during peak season. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 July 2025 By afternoon the river was shrinking back towards the confines of its regular banks, but for many in this wonderful community, things will not look normal for a long time. Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
Verb
That’s bad news for the Parr family, and especially father Bob (Craig T. Nelson), who hates his office job and longs to return to his super life. Barry Levitt, Time, 26 June 2025 Franta longs for freedom, while Ondra clings to routine. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for long
Recent Examples of Synonyms for long
Adjective
  • The galaxy’s light gets distorted by the gravity of the dark matter, so the image of the galaxy becomes elongated, turning into a little arc.
    Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 11 July 2025
  • If the orbit were to get too elongated, Mercury could fall into the sun or get close enough to Venus to get flung out of the solar system.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Nearly 1,400 books, consisting of 1,155 unique titles, were either fully removed from school libraries or heavily age-restricted, as found through a lengthy investigation by The Tennessean.
    Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 14 July 2025
  • His lengthy rule in a country with a median age of 19 is often cited in debates about the disparity between the continent’s youthful population and its elderly leaders.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Parts read like a narrative, other parts sound like a letter to the husband, sometimes explanatory, sometimes apologetic, sometimes pining.
    The Know, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
  • Songs that should blaze by are sluggish while tunes that should pine and linger are sped through.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long.
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Chaos is a constant for the outdoor winter sport with single-elimination playoffs that relies on the bounces of an elongated sphere.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Even the brilliant drone attacks that Zelensky launched, at the beginning of June, against Russian airfields in the far interior, were a maneuver in the endgame that strengthened his bargaining position rather than reversing the outcome of the war.
    Samuel Moyn, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
  • The diminutive Argentine ghosted between defenders, leapt high behind 6ft 2in center back Rio Ferdinand and met the ball with a perfect header, looping it past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar into the far corner of the net.
    Asli Pelit, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • One way to mess with an option team’s Plan A is to not only stick them with third-and-forevers, but to put them in an early hole, making them throw out of desperation.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2019
  • Printed with thermochromic ink, the stamp reveals a second image of the moon when a finger is pressed to it, and a sheet of 16 Forever stamps features a map of the eclipse path.
    Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2017
Adverb
  • The Four were created and introduced by Marvel legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, a mighty quartet of space pioneers whose DNA was permanently altered on a space mission, giving them superpowers and transforming them into beloved celebrities.
    Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
  • The industry throughout California was jolted by the closure of Golden Gate Fields near Berkeley, which closed permanently in 2024 after 83 years of operation.
    MARIANA GARCIA, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • And if that's what happens, these new mini e-bikes could be exactly what new riders have been yearning for a while.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 July 2025
  • For contrast, there’s also Bobo’s sensitive older sister, Vanessa (Anina Reed), who hangs ABBA posters on her walls and wears trendy print dresses, clearly yearning to go through puberty somewhere far away from here.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Long.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/long. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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