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.
I wish we’d finish the task and encourage democracy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
“Maybe it’s a fantasy, and maybe it’s wish fulfillment.”
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
I only wish that Angel Hernández was still around so we could see him overruled and disgraced dozens of times every night.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
"But, in the moment, when you're going through the motions, I wish people wouldn't say that, because it hurts."
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
I wish you were here, stroking my hair, telling me everything was going to be all right, like you did when I was a child and had hurt myself.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
