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want

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of want

1 the fact or state of being absent

  • the proverb that begins, "for want of a nail, the shoe was lost"
Synonyms of want

absence, dearth, lack
Words Related to want

deficiency, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, undersupply

deprivation, loss, necessity, need, needfulness, omission

privation

blankness, emptiness, vacuity, vacuum, void
Near Antonyms of want

abundance, amplitude, bounty, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, plenty, wealth

adequacy, sufficiency

excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus

deluge, flood

bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads, lot, mass, mountain, much, oodles, peck, pile, pot, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, volume, wad

fund, pool, stock, supply

cache, hoard, stash, stockpile
Antonyms of want

presence

2 a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

  • there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district
Synonyms of want

crunch, dearth, deficiency, deficit, drought (also drouth), failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply
Words Related to want

absence, omission

meagerness, poorness, skimpiness

necessity, need, privation
Near Antonyms of want

bountifulness, copiousness

excess, overabundance, oversupply, surfeit, surplus
Antonyms of want

abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth

3 a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful

  • those children are in want of some good discipline
Synonyms of want

absence, lack, need, needfulness
Words Related to want

deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency

dearth, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness

defect, minus

deprivation, famishment, privation

demand, essential, necessity, requirement, requisite
Near Antonyms of want

adequacy, enough, sufficiency

fund, pool, stock, supply

excess, fill, overabundance, oversupply, plenty, surfeit, surplus

hoard, stockpile

4 the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions

  • grew up in extreme want
Synonyms of want

beggary, destituteness, destitution, impecuniosity, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, necessity, need, neediness, pauperism, penuriousness, penury, poorness, poverty
Words Related to want

gutter, misery, woe, wretchedness

exigency

emergency, rainy day

austerity, deprivation, privation

bankruptcy, insolvency

belt-tightening, pinching, straitening
Near Antonyms of want

luxury, prosperity
Antonyms of want

affluence, opulence, richness, wealth, wealthiness

5 a defect in character

  • she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact
Synonyms of want

demerit, dereliction, failing, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, weakness
Words Related to want

blot, spot, stain

blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit

Achillesʼ heel, soft spot

corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness
Phrases Synonymous with want

feet of clay
Near Antonyms of want

excellence, perfection

goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness
Antonyms of want

merit, virtue

Synonym Discussion of want

poverty, indigence, penury, want, destitution mean the state of one with insufficient resources. poverty may cover a range from extreme want of necessities to an absence of material comforts.
    • the extreme poverty of the slum dwellers
indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances.
    • the indigence of her years as a graduate student
penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money.
    • a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury
want and destitution imply extreme poverty that threatens life itself through starvation or exposure.
    • lived in a perpetual state of want
    • the widespread destitution in countries beset by famine

want

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of want

1 to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy

  • I want a new car so badly!
Synonyms of want

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

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 want

set one's heart on
Near Antonyms of want

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

decline, refuse, reject, spurn

2 to have as a requirement

  • that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep
Synonyms of want

bear, challenge, claim, demand, necessitate, need, require, take, warrant
Words Related to want

entail, involve

ask, beg, claim, clamor (for), cry (for)

hurt (for), lack

command, enjoin, exact, insist, press, quest, stipulate
Phrases Synonymous with want

call for
Near Antonyms of want

own, possess
Antonyms of want

have, hold

3 to see fit

  • do what you want
Synonyms of want

choose, like, please, will, wish
Words Related to want

ache (for), covet, crave, desire, die (for), fancy, hanker (for), hunger (for), itch (for), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), yearn (for)

decide, determine, resolve

4 to wish to have

  • I want some ice cream for dessert, please
Synonyms of want

care (for), like
Words Related to want

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

covet, crave, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), wish (for), yearn (for)
Phrases Synonymous with want

feel like

Synonym Discussion of want

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 want

  1. See words that rhyme with want Dictionary: Definition of want Spanish Central: Translation of want Nglish: Translation of want for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of want for Arabic speakers

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