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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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
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
With less natural light, Miranda-Martin wanted to play up the idea of dining-room-as-treehouse, reflecting the second-floor foliage visible from the small windows.
—
Marissa Gluck,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
8 June 2026
There is a genuine want to be around each other.
—
James L. Edwards Iii,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
The difference was today that the opponent wanted to win more than us.
—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
With less natural light, Miranda-Martin wanted to play up the idea of dining-room-as-treehouse, reflecting the second-floor foliage visible from the small windows.
—
Marissa Gluck,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Noun
That last smoke proved elusive, but not for want of trying.
—
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
8 June 2026
There is a genuine want to be around each other.
—
James L. Edwards Iii,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
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Some people crave company and prefer to be in the office five days a week, while others want to be fully remote.
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Sometimes people who mutually crave admiration from each other also have romantic feelings.
Verb
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Of those, about 116,000 homes are needed at rents below $1,300 per month.
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Given the scale of the tragedy and the size of its foreign debt, Venezuela needs far more than the aid now arriving to assist those affected and rebuild its infrastructure.
Verb
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Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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Those wishing to attend the events will need to pass through magnetometers and bag-checks, officials said.
Verb
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At issue today is whether or not liking social media posts is an angerable offence on a reality television program.
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Cooley would also like to produce an art book of his favorite photos from the project.
Noun
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These areas often have awkward entrances and lack ventilation, which allows heat to build quickly.
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Nearly half acknowledged mental health issues, and 34% felt their lack of personal relationships was a factor that contributed to feeling purposeless.
Noun
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Despite the overwhelming demand for medical services and the shortage of supplies in Venezuela’s public health system, Domingo Luciani Hospital in the capital of Caracas coped with an influx of patients thanks to a flood of donations.
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With the rise in demand by retail users, compute providers are also facing significant shortages, raising their prices, and are rushing to develop more hardware.
Noun
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North Side schools have remained dominant in bringing in this outside funding, but some higher-poverty South and West Side campuses such as Kenwood increasingly held their own.
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Those concerns already exist within New Haven, and leaders would need to balance the existence of more than $1 billion in combined economic investment into local quantum efforts with the needs of a city where one quarter of residents lived in poverty in 2023.
Noun
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Experts stress that silent burnout is a structural problem, not an individual failing, with access to support being a critical barrier.
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Social media marketing burnout isn’t a personal failing or ordinary job stress.
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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