for (the) want of
idiom
: because of not having (something) : because (something) does not exist or is not available
For want of a better name, let's call it "Operation One."
People are dying for want of medical treatment.
The project failed for the want of adequate funding.
Examples of for (the) want of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The impetus to travel overland to Afghanistan at 19 came from a need — for want of a better phrase — to discover something within myself, not to discover Afghanistan.
—
Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
What’s more, these are not just idle threats, for want of a better term.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The American Dream, the Great American Novel, the American Girl—for Fitzgerald, they were all wrapped up together—had eluded him, and not for want of trying.
—Nathan King, Air Mail, 5 Apr. 2025
Duterte’s arrest and rendition, for want of a better word, to the Netherlands appears to have taken place with the cooperation of the Philippine government.
—Lisandro Claudio, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for (the) want of
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
What’s more, these are not just idle threats, for want of a better term.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The American Dream, the Great American Novel, the American Girl—for Fitzgerald, they were all wrapped up together—had eluded him, and not for want of trying.
—Nathan King, Air Mail, 5 Apr. 2025
Duterte’s arrest and rendition, for want of a better word, to the Netherlands appears to have taken place with the cooperation of the Philippine government.
—Lisandro Claudio, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for (the) want of
Cite this Entry
“For (the) want of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20%28the%29%20want%20of. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share