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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
grew up in extreme want
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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.
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Recent Examples of want
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
But White wanted to see boxing spectacles made more accessible.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Liberty Mutual Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance Learn More Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Liberty Mutual offers auto insurance policies that are available nationwide and customizable to fit your wants and needs.
—Brian Sloan, CNBC, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
Smith has been getting more serious about wanting to be an actor.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
But White wanted to see boxing spectacles made more accessible.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025
Noun
Importantly, a dog’s wants and needs do not always align with what their owners expect, and this is a crucial point in regards to animal welfare.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Liberty Mutual Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance Learn More Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
App available
Yes
Policy highlights
Liberty Mutual offers auto insurance policies that are available nationwide and customizable to fit your wants and needs.
—Brian Sloan, CNBC, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
-
Choose low-salt snacks: Lower-sodium snack options, like unsalted nuts or plain popcorn, can help satisfy a salt craving and offer more nutrition than salty chips.14 Expand your seasonings: Use herbs and spices to flavor your meals without table salt.—
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois,
Health,
5 June 2025
-
Anecdotal evidence suggests that people taking these drugs could be suddenly drawn to sugary perfumes and scents, possibly even craving them.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
The body needs to move—and walking has become my own little act of self-care.—
María Quiles,
Vogue,
4 June 2025
-
The robot that extruded concrete for Tor Alva, for example, applies the substance only where needed, resulting in hollow columns that significantly reduce material consumption.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Godbout’s cousin wanted to create a video compilation made up of various clips from close friends and family wishing her well after the major surgery.—
Emma Moon,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025
-
Up against the third-best team from Morocco last season, Wydad AC, and United Arab Emirates’ fifth-strongest force for the same campaign, Al Ain, there are plenty of Davids for Goliath fans to wish ill upon.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
All the evidence says that, yes, he was liked and respected by his team-mates at all his clubs.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
Shortstop Francisco Lindor doesn’t like taking days off, which leaves Brett Baty, Jeff McNeil and Luisangel Acuña to battle for at-bats at second base.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Most troubling is a lack of true concern or remedies for a huge problem for America, our national debt, and the service on that $36 trillion debt, which amounts to almost a trillion dollars a year.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
-
Thomson maintains Luzardo’s issues are a lack of execution.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
Japan began experiencing a matcha shortage in late 2024, as global interest in the powdered green tea spiked, according to the Global Japanese Tea Association.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2025
-
The pilot in Hawaii began with engineering majors because the state is heavily dependent on engineers in its key defense, construction and tourism industries — but has a chronic shortage of them.—
Jon Marcus,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
And that's particularly true for transgender folks, who already tend to face higher rates of discrimination, violence and poverty.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
-
But as repayments mount, the burden will strain developing economies and divert resources from priorities such as health care, education and poverty reduction, the Lowy Institute wrote.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
Other criminals who commit violent acts are perhaps more at ease with their moral failings.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2025
-
The military, which has ruled Pakistan for much of the country’s history, has long used hostility toward India to deflect from its own failings.—
AQIL SHAH,
Foreign Affairs,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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