hankering
B2Slightly informal but acceptable in formal writing; colloquial.
Definition
Meaning
A persistent and often restless desire or craving for something.
A strong feeling of wanting something that is difficult to ignore, often tinged with nostalgia or associated with a specific sensory experience (e.g., a taste, smell, or feeling).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a longing for something one cannot easily have or something from the past. Slightly more emotional and personal than 'desire' or 'wish'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or frequency.
Connotations
Slightly more rustic or old-fashioned nuance in British English, but still very common. In American English, it can carry a folksy, down-to-earth connotation.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a hankering for + NOUN (e.g., for chocolate)a hankering to + INFINITIVE (e.g., to travel)have/feel a hankeringVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “have a hankering after/for (something)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; 'desire for market expansion' is more typical.
Academic
Rare; too informal and subjective for most academic prose.
Everyday
Common for talking about food, travel, or nostalgic desires.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I've been hankering after a proper cup of tea all day.
- He hankered for the simple life of his youth in the countryside.
American English
- I'm hankering for some barbecue.
- She hankered to see the Grand Canyon.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have a hankering for ice cream.
- After watching the travel show, she felt a hankering to visit Japan.
- Despite his success in the city, a deep hankering for his rural hometown never left him.
- The nostalgic melody stirred in her an inexplicable hankering for a past she had never actually experienced.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'hanker' sounding like 'hunger' – both are strong, persistent cravings.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS HUNGER / DESIRE IS A PHYSICAL FORCE (e.g., 'I was hit by a hankering for chips').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate directly as 'ханка' (slang for heroin). 'Hankering' is not related to drugs. A safer translation is 'сильное желание', 'тоска (по чему-либо)', 'тяга'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect preposition: 'hankering about/on' (correct: 'hankering for' or 'hankering to do').
- Using it for trivial, passing wishes instead of a persistent craving.
- Spelling: 'hankerring' (double 'r' is incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'hankering' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's slightly informal or colloquial. It's fine in most writing and speech but might be replaced with 'longing' or 'strong desire' in very formal contexts.
They are very close. 'Craving' is often stronger and more physical (especially for food). 'Hankering' can be more nostalgic, persistent, and sometimes milder.
Yes, the verb is 'to hanker' (e.g., 'I hanker for adventure'). It follows the same pattern: 'hanker for something' or 'hanker to do something'.
Both are correct, with 'hankering for' being more common in modern usage, especially in American English. 'Hankering after' is slightly more old-fashioned or British.