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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.

But, she adds, Zoe’s greatest strength may actually be her desire.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

I felt a creeping desire to give in and get warm, but just as I started to work out how to say that to Benitez, he calmly told me that the lynx had finally arrived.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

It shows a "a dangerous desire to play with fire" that endangers stability in Germany, one government source charged.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Rutherford said he "totally understands" the desire "to protect people" but added his business had never had an issue in four years of operating.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

But she seemed to be distracted by the desire to make her four legs work together.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate




Vocabulary lists containing desire


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