want

want

noun

Definition of WANT

1

the fact or state of being absent <the proverb that begins, “for want of a nail, the shoe was lost”>

Synonyms absence, dearth, want

Related Words deficiency, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, undersupply; deprivation, loss, necessity, need, needfulness, omission; privation; blankness, emptiness, vacuity, vacuum, void

Near Antonyms abundance, amplitude, bounty, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, plenty, wealth; adequacy, sufficiency; excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus; deluge, flood; bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads, lot, mass, mountain, much, oodles, peck, pile, pot, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, volume, wad; fund, pool, stock, supply; cache, hoard, stash, stockpile

Antonyms presence

2

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number <there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district>

Synonyms crunch, dearth, deficit, drought (also drouth), failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply, want

Related Words absence, omission; meagerness, poorness, skimpiness; necessity, need, privation

Near Antonyms bountifulness, copiousness; excess, overabundance, oversupply, surfeit, surplus

Antonyms abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth

3

a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful <those children are in want of some good discipline>

Synonyms absence, lack, needfulness, want

Related Words deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency; dearth, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness; defect, minus; deprivation, famishment, privation; demand, essential, necessity, requirement, requisite

Near Antonyms adequacy, enough, sufficiency; fund, pool, stock, supply; excess, fill, overabundance, oversupply, plenty, surfeit, surplus; hoard, stockpile

4

the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions <grew up in extreme want>

Synonyms beggary, destituteness, destitution, impecuniosity, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, necessity, need, neediness, pauperism, penuriousness, penury, poorness, want

Related Words gutter, misery, woe, wretchedness; exigency; emergency, rainy day; austerity, deprivation, privation; bankruptcy, insolvency; belt-tightening, pinching, straitening

Near Antonyms luxury, prosperity

Antonyms affluence, opulence, richness, wealth, wealthiness

5

a defect in character <she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact>

Synonyms demerit, dereliction, failing, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, want, weakness

Related Words blot, spot, stain; blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit; Achilles' heel, soft spot; corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness

Near Antonyms excellence, perfection; goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness

Antonyms merit, virtue