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Showing results for desire. Search instead for de-sire.
Definitions

desire

[dih-zahyuhr] / dɪˈzaɪər /




VERB
ask, request
Synonyms
Antonyms
STRONG
WEAK
not want


Usage

What are other ways to say desire? Desire, a formal verb, suggests a strong wish: They desire liberation. Wish implies the feeling of an impulse toward attainment or possession of something; the strength of the feeling may be of greater or lesser intensity: I wish I could go home. Want, usually colloquial in use, suggests a feeling of lack or need that imperatively demands fulfillment: People all over the world want peace.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s also born from a desire on the state’s part to collect as many people’s lawful votes as possible.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Williams' return is fuelled by a desire for her two young daughters with husband Alexis Ohanian to see her in a competitive environment before she finally hangs up her racquet for good.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Bill Plaschke’s and many Angel fans’ desire for Arte Moreno to sell his ownership of the Angels is an overkill.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

It allowed them to think their way through rather than triumph through fitness and desire.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

She described how she awoke on a rocky shore, and how her only desire was to survive, and how difficult life was in that harsh place.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown




Vocabulary lists containing desire


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