1
as in craves
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 needs
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 wishes
to see fit
do what you want
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in likes
to wish to have
I want some ice cream for dessert, please
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in lacks
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
2
as in weaknesses
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
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Recent Examples of wants
Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
Premier League football will be a big step up, but there will be no surprises in what Rosenior wants from him on the pitch.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
My other sister lives in Los Angeles, married a TV producer, and just wants to sell the home immediately.
—Christopher A. Combs, AZCentral.com, 3 Feb. 2026
No one yet wants to groom a kid who is still waiting on his growth spurt.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Spirituality no longer just wants to be felt, but lived.
—Katharina Fuchs, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
No one wants this to happen again.
—ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
The family wants everybody to know this.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Otherwise, all my daughter wants to listen to is the Beatles Channel on Sirius XM.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2026
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
Instead of a set schedule and activities with no wiggle room, retreats will start to cater to your wants and needs.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2026
To figure out how Syria can best rebuild, its leaders and international supporters must understand the wants and needs of the country’s citizens.
—Salma Al-Shami, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
Conversations regarding project details date back to November 2023 as staff and community members shared their wants and needs at public meetings.
—Gqlshare, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
The nonprofit, which formed a year ago under the auspices of the Downtown Alliance, plans a public engagement process to examine key wants and needs downtown and inform a long-term improvement strategy.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
There are many platforms to choose from, depending on the needs and specific wants of each organization.
—Jason Phillips, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Themes of beauty and harmony are top of mind, and your home is mirroring your wants and needs.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
This means 50 percent of money goes toward needs (such as bills, housing, groceries); 30 percent toward wants (subscriptions, social life and vacations); and 20 percent toward savings.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Red Hill wants to change that in partnership with nearby business, housing complexes and University City Partners, a nonprofit that advocates for economic development in the area.
—Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
Premier League football will be a big step up, but there will be no surprises in what Rosenior wants from him on the pitch.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
My other sister lives in Los Angeles, married a TV producer, and just wants to sell the home immediately.
—Christopher A. Combs, AZCentral.com, 3 Feb. 2026
No one yet wants to groom a kid who is still waiting on his growth spurt.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Spirituality no longer just wants to be felt, but lived.
—Katharina Fuchs, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
No one wants this to happen again.
—ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
The family wants everybody to know this.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Otherwise, all my daughter wants to listen to is the Beatles Channel on Sirius XM.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 3 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
Instead of a set schedule and activities with no wiggle room, retreats will start to cater to your wants and needs.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2026
To figure out how Syria can best rebuild, its leaders and international supporters must understand the wants and needs of the country’s citizens.
—Salma Al-Shami, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
Conversations regarding project details date back to November 2023 as staff and community members shared their wants and needs at public meetings.
—Gqlshare, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
The nonprofit, which formed a year ago under the auspices of the Downtown Alliance, plans a public engagement process to examine key wants and needs downtown and inform a long-term improvement strategy.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
There are many platforms to choose from, depending on the needs and specific wants of each organization.
—Jason Phillips, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Themes of beauty and harmony are top of mind, and your home is mirroring your wants and needs.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
This means 50 percent of money goes toward needs (such as bills, housing, groceries); 30 percent toward wants (subscriptions, social life and vacations); and 20 percent toward savings.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wants
Verb
-
The Colts’ Alec Pierce, who’s got the kind of size (6-foot-3) that Payton craves, is also hitting the market after his first 1,000-yard campaign.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Instagram craves visual stories.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In this Gothic fantasy debut, Leena Al-Sayer bargains her ability to see the dead in order to pay for the expensive medicine her brother Rami needs to live.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Maryland needs a professional engineering concept study, a big-picture sketch done by people who understand how power systems work, who have built things before and who are not emotionally attached to particular solutions.—
Alex Pavlak,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There were points Landfair wishes her parents could have had the discernment to intervene.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Birthday wishes are in order for Oprah Winfrey!—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At first, Hayley seems to be the doting assistant, albeit one who also likes to go out and hook up and take drugs.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Willing tackler who likes to hit.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Economic theory would suggest that the best place to make a major investment such as a STAR bond would be in a place that has low, or lacks, economic activity.—
Sofi Zeman
January 21,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The 6-2, 2-00-pounder lacks experience but does boast ideal length and versatility and currently projects as a late-round selection or free agent.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The board spent months sizing up strengths and weaknesses of external and internal candidates.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The salt, slush, and cold weather of winter often reveal weaknesses in your home cleaning routine, and the bathroom is often the first place those cracks appear.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s National Security Strategy focuses intensely on the Western Hemisphere, at the expense of Asia, and the administration ardently desires a trade deal and strategic coordination with Beijing.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
-
As for Madigan's fellow nominee, Fanning plays Rachel Kemp, an American actress who desires more serious roles, in Norwegian film Sentimental Value.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The documents were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidante and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This fast-growing, durable plant is a good choice to stabilize a bank and requires little maintenance.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wants. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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