as in must
formal
something that is needed or wanted
a list of political desiderata
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 desideratum
Diversity isn’t necessarily an ethical desideratum in a collection.
—
New York Times, 28 Sep. 2021
The Trump administration has sought nothing less than a reformulation of U.S. policy on the two-state solution, bringing it in line with Netanyahu’s desiderata
Among Netanyahu’s enablers, however, one partner stands out.
—Aaron David Miller, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2020
Remaining at home is invariably the desideratum for most among the elderly, and this includes the wish to die at home.
—Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2020
We marketing teams came to believe we alone could save startups from untimely deaths by achieving the desideratum to end all desiderata: product/market fit.
—Wired, 22 Oct. 2019
Airports supply the greatest desideratum of physical retail: foot traffic.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 7 Sep. 2017
Some of the author costs are used to pay reviewers, causing one to question whether the process is always unbiased, as is the desideratum.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2015
New York Times, 28 Sep. 2021
The Trump administration has sought nothing less than a reformulation of U.S. policy on the two-state solution, bringing it in line with Netanyahu’s desiderata
Among Netanyahu’s enablers, however, one partner stands out.
—Aaron David Miller, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2020
Remaining at home is invariably the desideratum for most among the elderly, and this includes the wish to die at home.
—Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2020
We marketing teams came to believe we alone could save startups from untimely deaths by achieving the desideratum to end all desiderata: product/market fit.
—Wired, 22 Oct. 2019
Airports supply the greatest desideratum of physical retail: foot traffic.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 7 Sep. 2017
Some of the author costs are used to pay reviewers, causing one to question whether the process is always unbiased, as is the desideratum.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desideratum
Noun
-
Parents said the historical significance of the moment made attending the watch party a must.—
Samantha Chaney,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
If your family is gathering for Easter brunch, cheese grits are a must.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The decision by Republicans to isolate the language on voter ID, part of days of rolling debate on the SAVE America Act, was spurred by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) insisting that Democrats do not oppose that specific requirement and have backed it in the past.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
-
An amendment that would require voters to show photo identification to cast a ballot failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday, despite Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying last week that Democrats were not opposed to such a requirement.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The chamber’s wish is to see more stores and restaurants fill the Mile.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
It had been mounted on a small platform, which bore a little icon of a pair of feet inside a backslash circle, as though stepping into a guillotine were every museumgoer’s wish.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To single out the biennial as uniquely compromised is less an ecological diagnosis than a deflection of a broader structural condition.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Royals got a measure of revenge Wednesday, scoring early and often in a 13-9 victory over the Twins in some rainy, foggy conditions.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desideratum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desideratum. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
