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 we’d finish the task and encourage democracy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
“Maybe it’s a fantasy, and maybe it’s wish fulfillment.”
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
I only wish that Angel Hernández was still around so we could see him overruled and disgraced dozens of times every night.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
"Always my wish is that Rodri could stay as long as possible in this club because he is an incredible, top player but the life of everyone is everyone's."
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
“I wish I could purchase it. It’s exactly the type of art I’d love to collect.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
