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.
Current co-workers are off-limits because he doesn’t want applicants’ employers to know they are thinking of jumping ship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
"It's helping the environment by not putting loads of fertiliser to grow food where it doesn't want to grow."
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Revisit your saves, remove ones you don’t want and even see your items on a personal map.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Be as specific as possible when you write out your wishes or talk to your loved ones about what you want, especially as funeral planning has changed so much over the years, Zuckerman said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
The counterprotesters hold up signs proclaiming this is America and they have a right to live wherever they want.
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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