Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

desire

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of desire

1 a strong wish for something
  • A desire for adventure and excitement prompted him to travel to Africa.
Synonyms of desire

appetency, appetite, craving, drive, hankering, hunger, itch, longing, passion, pining, thirst, thirstiness, urge, yearning, yen
Words Related to desire

compulsion, impulse, impulsion, will, zeal

liking, love, taste, weakness

eagerness, impatience

want, wish

necessity, need, requirement

obsession

acquisitiveness, avarice, avariciousness, avidity, covetousness, cupidity, greed, greediness, rapaciousness, rapacity

mania
Near Antonyms of desire

abhorrence, abomination, allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disgust, disinclination, dislike, disliking, distaste, hatred, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion

apathy, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern
2 an earnest request
  • At the delegate's desire, the voice vote on the controversial measure was followed by an actual roll call.
Synonyms of desire

appeal, cry, entreaty, petition, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, supplication
Words Related to desire

application, requisition

call, claim, demand, insistence

desire

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of desire

1 to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
  • He greatly desired a new mountain bike for his next birthday.
Synonyms of desire

ache (for), covet, crave, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), want, wish (for), yearn (for), yen (for)
Words Related to desire

spoil (for)

adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, love, relish, revel (in)

favor, prefer

admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value
Phrases Synonymous with desire

set one's heart on
Near Antonyms of desire

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe

decline, refuse, reject, spurn
2 to make a request for
  • The host desires a response to the dinner invitation by tomorrow.
Synonyms of desire

ask (for), call (for), plead (for), quest, request, seek, solicit, speak (for), sue (for)
Words Related to desire

apply (for), beg (for), claim, clamor (for), importune, urge, wish (for)

demand, enjoin, exact, insist (on), petition (for), press (for), require, requisition

invite, invoke

Synonym Discussion of desire

desire, wish, want, crave, covet mean to have a longing for. desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim.
    • desires to start a new life
wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable.
    • wishes for permanent world peace
want specifically suggests a felt need or lack.
    • wants to have a family
crave stresses the force of physical appetite or emotional need.
    • craves sweets
covet implies strong envious desire.
    • covets his rise to fame

Learn More about desire

  1. See words that rhyme with desire Dictionary: Definition of desire Spanish Central: Translation of desire Nglish: Translation of desire for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of desire for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about desire

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up desire? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games