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Definitions

desire

[dih-zahyuhr] / dɪˈzaɪər /




VERB
ask, request
Synonyms
Antonyms
STRONG
WEAK
not want


Usage

What are other ways to say desire? Desire, a formal verb, suggests a strong wish: They desire liberation. 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. 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’re facing an urgent desire to make the improvements now,” Freye said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

That the three games against the Dodgers were sold out was not because of fans’ desire to see this “very competitive” Angels team.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

As she prepares to star in front of a crowd of 60,000 at London Stadium this summer, Hodgkinson reiterated her staunch desire to see the World Athletics Championships hosted there in 2029.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

It shows a "a dangerous desire to play with fire" that endangers stability in Germany, one government source charged.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Its government was possessed with the desire to find what English geographic experts were certain was a Northwest Passage through the Arctic.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler




Vocabulary lists containing desire


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