1
as in wrong
falling short of a standard
we tried her cooking and found it to be very wanting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
at this time of year food for many wild animals is wanting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in absent
not present or in evidence
grass is almost entirely wanting in that arid wasteland
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in craving
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
I want a new car so badly!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in needing
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 wishing
to see fit
do what you want
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in liking
to wish to have
I want some ice cream for dessert, please
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wanting
Susan Dominus Susan Dominus Photographs By Luis Alberto Rodriguez Styled By Charlotte Collet Nick Haramis Photographs By Lise Sarfati Styled By Suzanne Koller Sasha Weiss Photographs By Justin French Adam Bradley Photographs By D’angelo Lovell Williams Styled By Ian Bradley, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2022
Maybe our poor and wanting selves are our only authentic ones, and all others performances of convenience or necessity.
—Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, 5 May 2022
Don’t let your husband convince you that being needy and wanting affection are the same thing.
—Annie Lane, oregonlive, 19 Nov. 2021
Lucero really has nowhere else to go but up after a subpar performance against a wanting pass defense and has the talent and poise to lead the offense in Tyler Johnston’s absence.
—Evan Dudley, al, 29 Oct. 2020
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Kalshi’s exchange is embedded in the Robinhood and Webull apps, which act as a brokerages and have different business goals for prediction markets, wanting to use them as a gateway to other products.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Carlile acknowledged that possible dichotomy between girls just wanting to have fun and just wanting to fret about the world in her opening toast (following a land-acknowledgement prelude overseen by Mexican hosts).
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Not wanting to distract her preparations, Arthur Liu did not share the information with Alysa until after the Games.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
This time, there is no sense of anyone wanting out, as cohesive a locker room as the Heat have had in years.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Now Hermes’s five-star offering has unlocked the destination for those wanting to visit the world’s finest natural laboratory in style.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
Every technician is wanting to see that stock get back above it.
—John Melloy, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Verdon demanded much of herself and of others, in her relationships, in her work, and Williams captured that hunger, along with the vulnerability that so much wanting lays bare.
—Susan Dominus Susan Dominus Photographs By Luis Alberto Rodriguez Styled By Charlotte Collet Nick Haramis Photographs By Lise Sarfati Styled By Suzanne Koller Sasha Weiss Photographs By Justin French Adam Bradley Photographs By D’angelo Lovell Williams Styled By Ian Bradley, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2022
Maybe our poor and wanting selves are our only authentic ones, and all others performances of convenience or necessity.
—Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, 5 May 2022
Don’t let your husband convince you that being needy and wanting affection are the same thing.
—Annie Lane, oregonlive, 19 Nov. 2021
Lucero really has nowhere else to go but up after a subpar performance against a wanting pass defense and has the talent and poise to lead the offense in Tyler Johnston’s absence.
—Evan Dudley, al, 29 Oct. 2020
Verb
The conservative Justices on the nation’s highest court seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for firing Cook and wanting to keep her out of her post while the litigation plays out.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Kalshi’s exchange is embedded in the Robinhood and Webull apps, which act as a brokerages and have different business goals for prediction markets, wanting to use them as a gateway to other products.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Carlile acknowledged that possible dichotomy between girls just wanting to have fun and just wanting to fret about the world in her opening toast (following a land-acknowledgement prelude overseen by Mexican hosts).
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Not wanting to distract her preparations, Arthur Liu did not share the information with Alysa until after the Games.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
This time, there is no sense of anyone wanting out, as cohesive a locker room as the Heat have had in years.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Now Hermes’s five-star offering has unlocked the destination for those wanting to visit the world’s finest natural laboratory in style.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
Every technician is wanting to see that stock get back above it.
—John Melloy, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanting
Adjective
-
Mia’s giant bow dress is fabulous, but her hair is all wrong.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Which is why the reaction to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney blowing the whistle on Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for alleged tampering feels so wrong.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Someone who speaks too directly is described as intense or lacking polish.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Nothing undermines success like a lack of stability, and of course, a lacking quarterback.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Due to Tom’s disappearance, Claflin is largely absent outside of flashbacks that show the couple’s meet-cute in Jordan, where Alice was digging for artifacts and Tom distributed vaccines for a pro-refugee NGO called SOS Global.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Scientists agree that, absent intervention, Thwaites’s retreat will accelerate within the next century and the glacier will eventually collapse.—
Christian Elliott,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Preposition
-
Washington — Federal Reserve officials convene this week at a pivotal moment in the US central bank’s 112-year history, with a series of historic events putting a spotlight on their ability to set interest rates without political interference.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Goodarzi is being held without bail at the Central Detention Center.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Early 2026 trends show travelers chasing emotion over destination, craving nostalgia, community rituals, and hands‑on experiences that feel human, real, and deeply memorable.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In some more solidarity news, Haymarket Books is also providing three titles gratis, for those craving context on America’s immigration policies.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Palestinians react to recovery of last hostage’s remains Palestinians in Gaza were optimistic that opening the Rafah crossing will allow travel to and from the enclave along with the evacuation of people needing medical care.—
Julia Frankel,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Other large departments such as the California Department of Public Health and the Department of Health Care Services reported needing more than 1,100 workstations — for roughly one quarter of the total number of employees in each department — to bring workers back to offices four days a week.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Anyone wishing to be a vendor at one of the Chicago CASE markets must apply annually, and must be a producer or creator of natural and handmade goods.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Most of the calls were short messages wishing him congratulations, but Vitello quickly learned La Russa intended this connection to be more than that.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The answer is, not very, although at least liking lesbians enough to laugh with and not at their culture surely counts as a prerequisite.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The outlet reported that Victoria breached the legal letter by liking an Instagram post and that's why Brooklyn ultimately decided to block both of his parents on social media.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wanting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanting. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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