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Definition of hanker

hanker

/ˈhæŋ.kɚ/
Past Simple:hankered
•
Past Participle:hankered
•
Present Participle:hankering
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hanker Lexical Profile

hanker Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To feel a strong, persistent, or restless desire for something (usually followed by 'after', 'for', or an infinitive).

Example

"After years of working in a busy city, she began to hanker after a quieter life in the countryside."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for hanker
Antonyms
View all antonyms for hanker

Word Nuance & Usage

'Hanker' is an intransitive verb almost always followed by the preposition 'after', 'for', or an infinitive ('to' + verb), as in 'hanker after fame' or 'hanker to travel'.

• Rhymes for hanker

• Nearby Words

hangzhou
hanjiang
hank
hanker
hankering
hanky
hannover

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded around 1600 in the sense 'to linger in expectation', probably borrowed from Dutch or Flemish 'hankeren', a frequentative derivative of 'hangen' ('to hang').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hanker. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hanker
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