lust

noun \ ˈləst \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Examples: lust in a Sentence

Definition of lust

1 obsolete

a : pleasure, delight

b : personal inclination : wish

2 : usually intense or unbridled sexual desire : lasciviousness

He was motivated more by lust than by love.

3 a : an intense longing : craving

a lust to succeed

b : enthusiasm, eagerness

admired his lust for life

See lust defined for English-language learners

See lust defined for kids

Examples of lust in a Sentence

He was consumed by lust.
He was driven by a lust for power.
Lust for chocolate drew her into the candy store.

Recent Examples of lust from the Web

As with many of the behaviors once considered vices — greed, sloth, lust — envy reflects a miscalculation in the relative worth of things.

— belinda luscombe, Time, "Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade and the Dangers of Envying 'Perfect' Lives," 8 June 2018
At a time in life when many relationships were only about lust or fun, those two were different.

— emma kate fittes, Indianapolis Star, "Meet hero teacher Jason Seaman, as only friends and family know him," 1 June 2018
The Jerry Herman musical, with book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, follows the irrepressible Mame Dennis, who raises her orphaned nephew with a lust for life and all its adventures.

— terry byrne, BostonGlobe.com, "In ‘Calendar Girls,’ they’re undressed for success," 30 May 2018
The song’s lyrics, sung mostly in Spanish, tells of two lovers who are overcome with passionate lust for one another.

— stephen daw, Billboard, "Solomon Ray Examines His Own Queer Sexual Freedom on Sexy Reggaeton Single 'Asi Asi'," 23 May 2018
Roth was frequently identified as being a writer interested in Jewish identity, as well as lust, the American Dream and male anxiety.

— katie kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, "Philip Roth, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author, Dies at 85," 23 May 2018
Over a career spanning more than five decades and some 30 books, Roth’s themes were elaborated: lust, Jewishness in its New World colorations, and the large flexions of history that rose from the alignment of the two.

— nathan heller, Vogue, "Remembering Philip Roth, Literary Risk-Taker," 23 May 2018
Kepesh’s autumnal lust is described with humiliating exactitude, a problem exacerbated, as in so many Mr. Roth books, by the presence of an apparently healthy and beautiful young woman.

— nelson pressley, Washington Post, "Philip Roth, seminal author of comical and simmering discontents, dies at 85," 22 May 2018
The day after Layla died, her father strode from a centuries-old mosque after funeral prayers, his daughter’s body wrapped in a Palestinian flag and held aloft, as a crowd jogging behind him chanted slogans about Israeli blood lust.

— declan walsh, New York Times, "A Child of Gaza Dies. A Symbol Is Born. The Arguing Begins.," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lust.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lust

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German lust pleasure and perhaps to Latin lascivus wanton

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

lust Synonyms

lust

verb

Definition of lust

lusted; lusting; lusts

intransitive verb

: to have an intense desire or need : crave; specifically : to have a sexual urge

See lust defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of lust from the Web

Considering how the Orioles and their fans lusted over Houston Astros pitching prospect Forrest Whitley last year during the Zach Britton saga, such comparisons should be welcome.

— jon meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Get to know 2018 Orioles draft picks Grayson Rodriguez, Cadyn Grenier," 5 June 2018
Thus this highly readable chronicle comprises vaulting ambition, familial betrayal, moral corruption, high politics, foul murder and a beautiful queen lusting for revenge.

— andrew roberts, WSJ, "‘Richard III’ Review: The Villain Wore a Crown," 30 Apr. 2018
This week, a new-to-NYC humanitarian worker lusting after a younger guy and bored by a preppy one: 37, straight, single, Upper East Side.

— The Cut, "The Humanitarian Worker Contemplating Group Sex," 6 May 2018
Alas, Tess is lusting for bad boy bartender Jake (Tom Sturridge).

— San Francisco Chronicle, "First course of ‘Sweetbitter’ goes down easily on Starz," 30 Apr. 2018
Astute fans of Back to the Future will recognize it as the truck that Marty lusted after; that's a Hilux in everything but the name.

— devin holody, Ars Technica, "A beginner’s guide to the world of weird and wonderful Japanese import cars," 26 Apr. 2018
There was no shortage of lagom to lust for at last week’s Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, despite the low temps and grey cloud coverage outside.

— sean santiago, Vogue, "13 Dreamy Standouts From the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair," 13 Feb. 2018
Even as competition intensifies for big-spending cardholders with rewards lust in their hearts, spending on the Delta Amex cards rose at a compound annual growth rate of 12 percent from 2013 through 2017.

— ron lieber, New York Times, "Why Airline Credit Cards Have an Enduring Appeal," 27 Apr. 2018
This did not stop Trump, while in Tahoe one weekend for a celebrity golf tournament, from lusting after a buxom blonde in Chanel sunglasses: Stephanie Clifford, otherwise known as Stormy Daniels, a rising star in adult entertainment.

— brian chasnoff, San Antonio Express-News, "Chasnoff: Trump makes it easy to write a script for Cornyation," 24 Apr. 2018