wish
Usage
What are other ways to say wish?
To wish is to feel 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. 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.
“I wish my counterpart was here at this conference,” Hegseth said Saturday.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
But she told the audience at a book festival in Wales: "Definitely, with the benefit of hindsight, that was a decision I wish I had taken differently."
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Another mother, who did not wish to be named, said her 17-year-old daughter was in hospital.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
“Trust me, you have no idea how much I wish I had never picked them up, but I did.”
From Slate • May 28, 2026
I wish I could be closer to you.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Vocabulary lists containing wish
