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.
“He wanted to be at home, not in a strange bed somewhere. He didn’t want the whole atmosphere of the nursing home,” Linda says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
Secretly I had been keeping a lifetime of pain bottled up inside because of fear — I didn’t want to risk losing him by being too emotional or having too many feelings.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026
What is more accurate is that they didn’t want to be colonial subjects themselves but still wanted to be an empire.
From Slate • Jul. 3, 2026
Employees who are hoping to stay up late for England's clash with Mexico - which kicks off at 01:00 BST - will want to know what their options are.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
“You want to break the law? Read this. You can go to jail for a false claim.”
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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