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 I’d played Benedict in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and Antonio in ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ who was one of Shakespeare’s gay characters,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
"We earnestly hope, that the 'Islamabad Talks' succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days," Sharif said.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
If you wish to see a public that is more informed about A.I.’s upsides and downsides, the downstream effects of these incentives are worrisome.
From Slate • Apr. 7, 2026
A 6% annual return is another $7,900 lost in potential returns, but you may wish to worry less about that in your 70s.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
A fresh wave of grief washes over me as I watch a couple of residents play cards, and I wish I hadn’t let Mom talk me into coming.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
