1
as in to crave
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
I want a new car so badly!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to need
to have as a requirement
that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to wish
to see fit
do what you want
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to like
to wish to have
I want some ice cream for dessert, please
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in lack
the fact or state of being absent
the proverb that begins, "for want of a nail, the shoe was lost"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in need
a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful
those children are in want of some good discipline
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
grew up in extreme want
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in failing
a defect in character
she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of want
Jay O'Brien, ABC News, 15 July 2025
This has triggered a backlash among those who want transparency about Epstein.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
The margins in the business were highly attractive When a factory line is down for want of a critical part, the price of transit is trivial compare to the cost of lost production.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
The speaker explained that conservatives who voted against the rule want the crypto bills -- CLARITY, GENIUS and Anti CBDC Surveillance Act -- combined into one big package, rather than take separate standalone votes on each measure.
—Jay O'Brien, ABC News, 15 July 2025
This has triggered a backlash among those who want transparency about Epstein.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Noun
Years of having to be the practical one so Buddy could be the fun one have left her feeling invisible, alienated from her own wants and needs.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
The margins in the business were highly attractive When a factory line is down for want of a critical part, the price of transit is trivial compare to the cost of lost production.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
-
Some employees crave in-person collaboration, while others question the necessity of reverting to old norms.—
Dr. Adil Dalal,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
However, for visitors craving long stretches of uninterrupted coastline, Padre Island National Seashore and Mustang Island State Park are fantastic destinations to explore.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
The coalition of utilities would also need to lobby U.S. Congress for legislation approving the divestiture and allocating federal dollars to support infrastructure fixes.—
Sasha Hupka,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
-
That means Kinloch will need to expand his reach beyond his congregation to get some new soles to the polls in Detroit.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Those wishing to provide monetary support to Heinz's parents, Shane and Amber, can do so through either Venmo or PayPal ([email protected]).—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
26 July 2025
-
Alexander Isak wishing to leave Newcastle United is one thing; working out who could afford to buy him is quite another.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Costa's 2023 Hellcat Challenger Jailbreak modded by Hennessy with 1,100 horsepower may seem like overkill to some people, but Costa is a proud Mopar owner who likes the challenge his car gives him.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
-
While math inspired Medeiros, Jean Creighton likes to think about the ways that the motion of planets shapes our lives.—
Andrew Montequin,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
The person denied being responsible for the noose, police said, noting that due to a lack of eyewitnesses and legal probable cause, no charges are expected against the person, who will not be allowed to return for any type of stadium construction.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 July 2025
-
And the Covid episode itself--when inflation hit 9% before the Fed finally began hiking dramatically--remains a major point of concern about the institution’s lack of intellectual diversity.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Spain, to cite but one example, has a housing shortage and is currently considering levying a 100% tax on foreign buyers of real estate.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
California already faces some of the highest housing costs in the country and a shortage of construction workers.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
Jane comes from a background of poverty and has stayed in their hometown for the past 20 years, devoting herself to caregiving.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
-
People who make less than 400% of the federal poverty level will still receive financial support, but it will be reduced.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Here’s a breakdown of those two failings and their ramifications.—
Eric Siegel,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
There’s a fine line between compatibility and codependency, having compassion for another person’s failings and enabling them.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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