Synonyms of wanting

wanting 1 of 3

adjective

ˈwän-tiŋ 

1

as in wrong

falling short of a standard

we tried her cooking and found it to be very wanting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wrong
• unacceptable
• poor
• lame
• bad
• deficient
• lacking
• off
• flawed
• ill
• horrible
• pathetic
• terrible
• disastrous
• bastard
• awful
• from hunger
• sour
• unsatisfactory
• inferior
• wretched
• suboptimal
• bush
• crummy
• substandard
• brutal
• inadequate
• punk
• dreadful
• insufficient
• subpar
• lousy
• short
• wack
• dissatisfactory
• defective
• rotten
• paltry
• useless
• below par
• miserable
• worthless
• gross
• bum
• lesser
• detestable
• deplorable
• spare
• common
• unspeakable
• stinky
• faulty
• damnable
• bush-league
• mean
• atrocious
• abysmal
• crappy
• sucky
• flagrant
• mediocre
• vile
• shoddy
• gnarly
• horrendous
• egregious
• low-grade
• abominable
• trashy
• cheesy
• low-rent
• scanty
• bitchin'
• fake
• execrable
• skimpy
• reprehensible
• shabby
• second-rate
• stingy
• coarse
• sleazy
• valueless
• junky
• odious
• miserly
• meager
• skimp
• cut-rate
• counterfeit
• scurrilous
• phony
• rubbishy
• sham
• villainous
• miscreant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequate
• satisfactory
• acceptable
• standard
• all right
• fine
• decent
• great
• OK
• perfect
• keen
• better
• classical
• sufficient
• excellent
• respectable
• choice
• tolerable
• classic
• mean
• prime
• wonderful
• special
• passable
• superior
• top
• divine
• splendid
• neat
• grand
• fancy
• par excellence
• terrific
• superb
• banner
• noble
• sensational
• marvelous
• first-class
• swell
• premium
• fabulous
• heavenly
• slick
• boss
• unsurpassed
• superlative
• exceptional
• average
• sterling
• stellar
• capital
• dandy
• suitable
• minimal
• useful
• worthy
• nifty
• A1
• fair
• high-grade
• mediocre
• first-rate
• borderline
• middling
• top-notch
• groovy
• satisfying
• bang-up
• gratifying
• tip-top
• high-test
• supernal
• crackerjack
• jim-dandy
• so-so
• unexceptional

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

• lacking
• insufficient
• low
• scarce
• inadequate
• short
• shy
• deficient
• unacceptable
• lean
• spare
• unsatisfactory
• poor
• sparse
• scant
• substandard
• minimum
• small
• scanty
• light
• skimpy
• stingy
• bare
• mere
• skimp
• meager
• slender
• slight
• slim
• hand-to-mouth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enough
• sufficient
• adequate
• ample
• generous
• liberal
• abundant
• plentiful
• copious
• bountiful
• enlarged
• bounteous
• expanded
• satisfactory
• plenteous
• supplemented
• overflowing
• large
• plenitudinous
• rich
• considerable
• tolerable
• substantial
• lavish
• big
• sizable
• teeming
• super
• abounding
• jumbo
• hefty
• luxuriant
• oversize
• largish
• king-size

3

as in absent

not present or in evidence

grass is almost entirely wanting in that arid wasteland

Synonyms & Similar Words

• absent
• lacking
• missing
• lost
• extinct
• nonexistent
• vanished
• done
• over
• departed
• insufficient
• inadequate
• finished
• expired
• obsolete
• sparse
• dead
• scarce
• perished
• rare
• defunct
• lapsed
• uncommon
• passé

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• present
• active
• alive
• going
• current
• living
• existent
• thriving
• prevailing
• common
• animate
• prevalent
• obvious
• apparent
• evident
• plain
• conspicuous
• uncanceled

wanting

2 of 3

preposition

as in without

not having

a mitten wanting its mate

Synonyms & Similar Words

• without
• absent
• sans
• minus

wanting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of want

1

as in craving

to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy

I want a new car so badly!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• craving
• desiring
• enjoying
• dying (for)
• coveting
• preferring
• wishing (for)
• loving
• liking
• yearning (for)
• itching (for)
• panting (after)
• longing (for)
• sighing (for)
• hankering (for or after)
• hungering (for)
• thirsting (for)
• pining (for)
• lusting (for or after)
• aching (for)
• salivating (for)
• repining (for)
• desiderating
• admiring
• jonesing (for)
• relishing
• setting one's heart on
• yenning (for)
• fancying
• spoiling (for)
• digging
• valuing
• grooving (on)
• favoring
• appreciating
• adoring
• delighting (in)
• reveling (in)
• cherishing
• treasuring
• prizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hating
• despising
• refusing
• loathing
• detesting
• abhorring
• rejecting
• declining
• execrating
• abominating
• spurning

2

as in needing

to have as a requirement

that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• needing
• requiring
• taking
• demanding
• involving
• claiming
• necessitating
• challenging
• calling for
• warranting
• asking
• begging
• bearing
• lacking
• insisting
• entailing
• crying (for)
• hurting (for)
• clamoring (for)
• enjoining
• pressing
• commanding
• stipulating
• questing
• exacting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• having
• holding
• possessing
• owning

3

as in wishing

to see fit

do what you want

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wishing
• pleasing
• choosing
• liking
• desiring
• willing
• craving
• fancying
• dying (for)
• coveting
• yearning (for)
• itching (for)
• panting (after)
• longing (for)
• sighing (for)
• aching (for)
• thirsting (for)
• pining (for)
• hungering (for)
• hankering (for)
• deciding
• resolving
• lusting (for or after)
• repining (for)
• determining

4

as in liking

to wish to have

I want some ice cream for dessert, please

Synonyms & Similar Words

• liking
• enjoying
• loving
• feeling like
• desiring
• welcoming
• caring (for)
• fancying
• craving
• relishing
• digging
• dying (for)
• wishing (for)
• yearning (for)
• delighting (in)
• grooving (on)
• reveling (in)
• coveting
• adoring
• hankering (for or after)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wanting

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 news about Guimaraes wanting to leave was followed almost immediately by Johan Manzambi, Newcastle’s top target across all positions, opting for Aston Villa at the final moment. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

As his memories begin to fade, he's left in a panic, not wanting to lose everything. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026

The dissolution of the workout drew another round of skepticism, with many claiming Kaepernick was pulling a media stunt or was not serious about wanting to play again. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026

So, in that respect, McDonald understands a coach like Kiffin wanting to go after these players wishing to get back to college. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

And Billie and Greg’s ongoing ruse is classic sitcom fodder, even if there’s not much to it besides wanting to keep Samir happy. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026

In a 2022 study, researchers looked at the prices ZipRecruiter, a job posting site, charged employers wanting to access their services. — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

About a decade later, the researchers Simon Broadbent and John Hammersley — wanting to understand the carbon filters in gas masks — developed a mathematical model. — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026

Speaking with Sharp and Fabrizio, Sandra Kalander noticed their discernable sincerity in wanting to identify the victim and recognize their humanity, despite the time that had passed. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026