Learn English – a word for something that you desperately want and/or craved for, but NEVER GOT

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Take this situation;

Everyone was given ice cream at the birthday party, except for Todd. After Todd got home, he felt very disheartened that he never got the
chance to taste the ice-cream there. He really desired it and now it
left a hole in his heart.

Think of it as feeling you get after a "missed opportunity" or "missed chance". You can never have it again in your life. Now the mark this situation would give a person, is there a word for it?

I'm guessing "yearning", "longing" and "hankering" would win here (perhaps I'm actually looking for them?) Or is there a more specific word regarding that situation or feeling?

Best Answer

Focusing on what one is left with after the initial disappointment, your description is almost the exact definition of regret:

Regret (n): a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done (especially a loss or missed opportunity).

Although, this may not meet your needs, since regret is often used in relation to one's own actions and people forget that one can regret something that has happened to oneself. I also might not pack the punch you are looking for.

The verb, to rue packs a punch (with some added animosity):

Rue (v): To bitterly regret.

Technically, it can be a noun, but its use, in this form, is archaic.

Oh wait, are you looking for pining?

Pine (v): Suffer a mental and physical decline, especially because of a broken heart. Miss and long for the return of.

I suppose you could also use ache, which would highlight the internal pain/anguish of the loss.

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