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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

But maybe these images also tell us something about his insecurities: his desire to reassure everyone, including himself, that he was still the main man, as fit as he'd ever been.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

But, she adds, Zoe’s greatest strength may actually be her desire.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 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

She rested frequently, having no desire to reach her destination, but she couldn’t postpone the journey any longer.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer




Vocabulary lists containing desire


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