wish
Usage
What are other ways to say wish?
To wish is to feel 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. 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.
“We wish the votes were counted faster, too,” Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, wrote on social media.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
Given that, she may wish to increase the rental price and add a cleaning fee.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
I wish Caitlin Clark would just stop whining and play.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
Later in life, she requested that he build her a synagogue near their estate outside Paris, a wish he fulfilled with characteristic devotion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Somehow I managed to shake her hand, then Karel’s hand, and to wish them every happiness.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Vocabulary lists containing wish
