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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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
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Recent Examples of want
Ashley Hume, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
Masri said that Hamas wanted to resolve the issue of American-Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the start of negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire, in which the remaining live hostages would be released in return for a sustainable end to the fighting.
—Mohammed Al Sawalhi, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025
But what does our contemporary obsession — both spiteful and fawning — with Brutalism say about our wants and needs as a society at this moment?
—Anna Kodé, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
After playing the first side of the record, Parton asked if Nash wanted to hear the second side.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
Masri said that Hamas wanted to resolve the issue of American-Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the start of negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire, in which the remaining live hostages would be released in return for a sustainable end to the fighting.
—Mohammed Al Sawalhi, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
Choose your features according to your wants and needs and skip anything unnecessary that might prematurely break.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025
But what does our contemporary obsession — both spiteful and fawning — with Brutalism say about our wants and needs as a society at this moment?
—Anna Kodé, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
-
Successful organizations are those that can learn continuously—and this requires individuals and teams who crave to know more and who seek challenges and learning.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
-
For Dimension 20, its existing library of pre-pandemic games attracted people who maybe craved togetherness and lighthearted escapism.—
Eric Francisco,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Some argue that deeper spending cuts are needed, while others believe new tax revenues will be necessary to fully address the budget shortfall.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Her office needs months of repairs for smoke damage.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Vatican officials can be faithful to the highest standards of their religion, truly wishing to serve the church and the common good of humanity.—
Daniel Speed Thompson,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Stop wishing people well in your direct messages on LinkedIn.—
Chris Westfall,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Jatropha plants do not like winter weather and even chilly conditions may cause leaf loss.—
Tom MacCubbin,
Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Francis likes to keep people on their toes and will have known that announcing the consistory would set off plenty of speculation.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While winds will be much weaker and temperatures much cooler, dry vegetation due to lack of recent rainfall combined with the dry air will once again enhance the wildfire danger across the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Rubin: There was a surprising lack of campiness to this whole thing.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Some states are reviving older methods of capital punishment due to drug shortages, even as other states reconsider them entirely.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
8 Mar. 2025
-
In 2024, China experienced a complex situation with AI chips: overcapacity in some areas, while simultaneously facing shortages in high-quality compute needed for advanced AI development.—
Craig S. Smith,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the last minute, a relative rode to the rescue—as, later, did a wealthy aunt, who plucked him out of poverty and sent him to private school.—
Anthony Lane,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Critics of such spending of U.S. tax dollars say Americans can’t take care of the world when the nation has so many homegrown issues to deal with, such as poverty and homelessness, the border and fentanyl crisis, violent crime and more.—
Therese Boudreaux | The Center Square,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Does the actor looking older than her 21 years (a notion that is, of course, entirely subjective) infer some kind of moral failing?—
Morgan Fargo,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Supervisors cited this as one example of the unit’s failings.—
Donna McGuire,
Ian Cummings,
and Glenn E. Rice,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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