Definitions

wanting

[won-ting, wawn-] / ˈwɒn tɪŋ, ˈwɔn- /

ADJECTIVE

lacking, inadequate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deficient unfulfilled

STRONG

absent bankrupt cooked deprived disappointing empty failing gone missing needed omitted scant short shy

WEAK

away bereft burned out cut off defective destitute devoid faulty half-baked imperfect in default incomplete inferior less minus not good enough not up to par out of gas patchy poor scanty scarce sketchy substandard too little too late unsound

Antonyms

STRONG

adequate enough existing present sufficient

WEAK

perfect satisfactory

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.

Platner has criticized the media for its reporting, saying they “are going to run gossip instead of wanting to talk about the things that actually matter.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

She goes from wanting to be a trophy wife with nothing to do, to braving a world that isn’t built for her, dressing and acting like she already has a seat at the table.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Any challenger wanting to trigger a leadership contest must be an MP and have the backing of 81 Labour MPs.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Hyperscalers wanting to train AI models across multiple data centers—a practice known in the industry as “scale-across”—has fueled Ciena’s growth, wrote Simon Leopold, an analyst at Raymond James, in a research note Thursday.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Nim stared, not wanting to touch or move it.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

Vocabulary lists containing wanting

Nobody's Home: Synonyms For "Absent"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Absent

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Lacking

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!