as in must
formal
something that is needed or wanted
a list of political desiderata
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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
-
Some are absolute musts, like clearing out any asbestos and making sure the plumbing is up to current standard.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Made from ceramic and featuring a 40-ounce capacity, the pitcher doubles as a vessel for beverages and floral arrangements—a must for spring hosting and entertaining.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Afterwards, ByteDance rolled back that feature and introduced verification requirements for users who want to create digital avatars with their own images and audio, according to Chinese media.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Not all nurses are certified to be a SANE, and certification requirements vary by state, according to Sekula.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To me, the samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling that is shared across borders.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
-
No sooner did Paul Tenorio plead for more big-name stars to embrace Major League Soccer than his wish was granted.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its Hadley liquid rocket engines have already flown in hypersonic conditions, validating propulsion performance in real-world scenarios.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Feb. 2026
-
There has been speculation that the allies are seeking to tone down the drills to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desideratum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desideratum. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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