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.
What would summer on the beach be without chocolate and marshmallows between graham crackers—or without angst and wish fulfillment between book covers?
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
One local woman, who did not wish to be named, told us she thought the area had become "lawless".
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
“I want to thank Dan for leading the finance organization that will support Adobe’s next chapter of growth in the AI era, and wish him all the best,” he added.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
But his wish list of non-woke repertory, which also included Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, draws on an attachment that predates his entry into national politics: Broadway musicals.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
‘I’ve been trying to remember exactly what Saeunn does. She’s always trying to teach me Magecraft, and I’m always going hunting instead. I wish I’d listened.’
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Vocabulary lists containing wish
