want
Usage
What are other ways to say want?
The verb want, usually colloquial in use, suggests a feeling of lack or need that imperatively demands fulfillment: People all over the world want peace. 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. Desire, a more formal verb, suggests a strong wish: They desire liberation.
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.
While some politicians are more likely to be hired than others, each one will want the job.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
What investors should want from Warsh is the predictability that made Greenspan’s tenure a success — a Fed that responds to prevailing economic conditions as they show up in the data.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
“We may talk all we want about data centers, but they’re not coming.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026
Earlier this year Greece's tourism minister said she did not want visitors to be "burdened" by bureaucratic procedures when entering or leaving the country.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
He says that’s why it surprised him that I didn’t want to join the club at first.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Vocabulary lists containing want
"A Modest Proposal," Vocabulary from the satire
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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Selection Vocabulary 2, Unit 2
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