What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
wistful
Example
As she looked at the old photo album, she felt wistful for her childhood. [wistful: adjective]
Example
He had a wistful smile on his face as he watched the sunset. [wistful: adjective]
yearning
Example
She had a yearning for adventure and travel. [yearning: noun]
Example
He yearned to be reunited with his family after being away for so long. [yearned: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Yearning is more commonly used than wistful in everyday language. Yearning is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts, while wistful is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between wistful and yearning?
Both wistful and yearning are formal words that are typically used in more literary or poetic contexts. However, yearning can also be used in more casual or everyday language, while wistful is less versatile in this regard.
