want
Usage
What are other ways to say want?
The verb want, usually colloquial in use, suggests a feeling of lack or need that imperatively demands fulfillment: People all over the world want peace. 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. Desire, a more formal verb, suggests a strong wish: They desire liberation.
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 see it as people see what we’re doing, and they want us to keep fighting for them.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
Its most famous lyric is: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need.”
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
The family of the victim said they did not want this "terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility".
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
That could be popular among influencers who want to boost visibility and want more control over their feeds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Caesar doesn’t respond; then I say quietly, “I don’t want you to go.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Vocabulary lists containing want
"A Modest Proposal," Vocabulary from the satire
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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Selection Vocabulary 2, Unit 2
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