yearn /jɜːn $ jɜːrn/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: giernan ]
literary to have a strong desire for something, especially something that is difficult or impossible to get SYN long
yearn for
Hannah yearned for a child.
yearn to be/do something
Phil had yearned to be a pilot from an early age.
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In everyday English, people usually say long for something or long to do something rather than yearn :
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She longed for another child.