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.
"Once you feel at one with the nature and the universe you will feel the harmony that you can be whatever you want to be and everything is possible."
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
She added open conversations also help, and adults shouldn't fear causing tears as grieving children want "their special person to be remembered, and they want to have someone to talk to".
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Long-short managers generally aim for “alpha,” meaning they want to outperform the benchmark in addition to harvesting losses.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
“I just want to convince MVP and Netflix that there’s something here worth investing in and that they should keep backing MMA,” Rousey said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
I knew it was code for “I don’t want to go through Pops’s things by myself,” and to be honest, I feel the same way.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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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