langst

Langst is a term used in fan fiction and fan art communities to describe works that center on longing, yearning, and unfulfilled or unattainable romantic desire. A portmanteau of longing and angst, langst focuses on the emotional experience of desire rather than explicit plot action, though it may include obstacles, distance, or missed opportunities that keep the relationship out of reach. The term is primarily used in English-language online fandom spaces and has circulated on platforms such as Archive of Our Own, Tumblr, and related communities since the early 2010s.

Langst works typically emphasize interiority: the thoughts, feelings, and sensory details of a character who longs for another or for a lost relationship. Tropes commonly associated with langst include relentless pining, near-misses, miscommunications, memory-driven reverie, and a melancholic mood. The tone can range from bittersweet to contemplative, and Langst may be non-graphic or contain mature themes depending on the audience and pairing.

Langst is applied across a wide range of fandoms and ship dynamics, including canonical ships, non-canon pairings, and LGBTQ+ pairings; it is not restricted to any single genre. It is distinguished from broader angst by placing the central emotional engine on longing rather than external conflict alone.

Within fan communities, langst is a niche descriptor used to signal a focus on tender, often painful emotional longing. While widely recognized in fandom circles, it may be unfamiliar outside those communities.