Longing: quick facts
Longing is a strong, persistent desire for someone or something that is absent, distant, or out of reach. It blends yearning with a tender ache, holding both the warmth of what is wanted and the pain of its absence.…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Longing
Typical triggers
Distance from loved ones, unattainable goals, absence, separation
How it's expressed
Distant gaze, sighing, reaching gestures, wistful and yearning tone
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions; Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.