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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
grew up in extreme want
Synonyms & Similar Words
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of want
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Haley Winn, 22, is part of a generation of female athletes who are elevating professional women's hockey, soccer, basketball, among others, and her brothers want everyone to remember who the real stars are.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
Some of it is gut feeling based the maniacal want Cristobal has steeled in his players.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for want
Verb
Transit agencies and freight carriers want lighter rolling stock to cut fuel use.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Haley Winn, 22, is part of a generation of female athletes who are elevating professional women's hockey, soccer, basketball, among others, and her brothers want everyone to remember who the real stars are.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
Waldo’s digital shopping cart — and McCurdy’s brusque descriptions of her late-night binges — highlight the gaping, cavernous maw of her wants.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
Some of it is gut feeling based the maniacal want Cristobal has steeled in his players.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for want
Recent Examples of Synonyms for want
Verb
-
Amid its evolution into a shopping and dining powerhouse, the neighborhood long craved a calm refuge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The heucherella, for instance, may crave a bit more water and some respite from the rays.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Newcomer João Klauss needed 90 seconds to win the hearts of Galaxy fans, scoring with assists from Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil for a 1-0 lead.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Then came an almighty, barely believable surge spearheaded by Ngumoha, and if the VAR intervention was the slice of good fortune Forest needed, what happened next summed up everything about the power of those towards the top.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But if the court of appeals wishes to hear oral arguments, the ruling will be issued later in the year.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This trend ignores the IOC’s initial reaction to Putin’s invasion, which, it should be acknowledged, was actually scheduled around the Beijing Winter Olympics, as Putin did not wish to offend the Chinese.—
Sean Strockyj,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Since then, my father-in-law has become engaged to a woman who, frankly, is not liked by anyone in our family.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Grackles gatherings then and now Where in Central Texas do grackles like to congregate in the winter?—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
From an outside lens, Norway’s lack of hockey success doesn’t make much sense, especially considering its status in other winter sports.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Visits to the shrine are seen by Japan's neighbors as evidence of a lack of remorse for Japan's wartime past.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The study further concludes that current crackdown has reduced employment in those and other industries where employers face shortages.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
There is a shortage of specialists in Ukraine and hospitals have come under attack.—
Carol Guzy,
NPR,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The other would have removed the requirement that districts obtain the Legislature’s approval before opting into the program that lets all kids in high-poverty schools eat for free.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2026
-
But John Rogers, a professor of education at UCLA who has studied the link between money and learning, suggested a bigger issue in the new war on poverty is about self-image and expectation.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unpredictable funding from Congress compounds these failings.—
Marc Scribner,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The report claimed these changes were made to minimize the city and fire department’s failings.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Want.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/want. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
