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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
grew up in extreme want
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of want
Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
Read more Lake Mead Map and List of Cities Hosting Events for Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22
Lower Basin representatives, however, want the Upper Basin to absorb a share of usage cuts during drought years.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Mark Travers, Contributor, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2025
Creating them just creates complications for their innies, introducing difficult moral dilemmas and new wants.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
The survivor advocacy group wants abusive clergy — and church leaders who’ve covered up their crimes — to be ejected from the ministry.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
Read more Lake Mead Map and List of Cities Hosting Events for Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22
Lower Basin representatives, however, want the Upper Basin to absorb a share of usage cuts during drought years.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Healthy conflict can bring partners closer by opening the door to deep, meaningful conversations about wants and needs, which can then lead to problem-solving.
—Mark Travers, Contributor, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2025
Creating them just creates complications for their innies, introducing difficult moral dilemmas and new wants.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
-
In some cases, strongmen crave popular support, so the popular will can sustains autocratic stability.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
1 May 2025
-
If the Mom in your life is craving a nap or some solo time, encourage it!—
Laura Broadwell,
Parents,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Not every villain needs to be Thanos – sometimes the best/worst ones, like Val, lean more toward real life.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
The Village of Chatham and Ball Chatham Schools are going to need their populations and that of the outside world to love them, pray for them, think of them.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The practice is a way of acknowledging those who reach out to wish them well for the occasion.—
Stephanie Petit,
People.com,
2 May 2025
-
And fans of both teams wish the owner would sell their favorite team to someone who would spend money to compete for a championship.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Wylie, by all accounts, was well liked within the program and beloved by many players who viewed him as critical to their development.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Things were looking up later in the day after a report said the measure of inflation that the Fed likes to use slowed to 2.3% in March, the Associated Press reported.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The lack of border security created real problems for Americans, including crimes such as human trafficking and drug smuggling.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
-
Thousands of people become trapped in their homes, buildings, and businesses, further isolated by the lack of communication.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
What these Deals Tell Us About Investor Demand The first quarter transactions in Brooklyn and Manhattan signal robust investor confidence in free market multifamily, driven by the appeal of assets with minimal regulatory constraints and the city's persistent housing shortage.—
Shimon Shkury,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Earlier this month, analysts at BTIG said tariffs could make dining operators like Texas Roadhouse vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and product shortages.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Warren harvested greens, potatoes and watermelons as part of an effort to address food insecurity and health concerns in a neighborhood challenged by blight, crime and poverty.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2025
-
The prosperous timber industry, having stripped the region of its eastern white pine, was in retreat, leaving poverty in its wake.—
Charles Arrowsmith,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Though authorities in South Yorkshire and centrally were to blame for the disaster, some of the deceased were still fighting for their lives when those responsible started shifting the focus away from their own failings, buttressed by support from craven sections of the media.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
It is meant as a critique of the ideological gatekeepers who may, for example, blame voters for their party’s failings rather than the party itself.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share