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yearn after, yearn for
Yearn is often followed by the preposition for and sometimes by the preposition after.
- In spite of Claude’s care, the dog still yearned for its owner.
- As the mother of four children, Magda yearned for peace and quiet.
- Helen of Troy yearned after her husband Menelaus, her city and her parents.
Yearn may also be followed by an infinitive (to plus a verb).
- The refugees yearned to return to their homeland.
Use a hyphen in the compound modifier yearned-for.
- The driving force for the rebels was their yearned-for freedom.
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