WANTS Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

wants 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of want

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

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

as in wishes

to see fit do what you want

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in likes

to wish to have I want some ice cream for dessert, please

Synonyms & Similar Words

wants

2 of 2

noun

plural of want

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

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 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 wants

Verb

Nicolas Aburm, creative director at New York label Area, wants specific information. — Cami Fateh, Vogue, 22 July 2026 Trump reportedly wants Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, per the New York Post. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026 The senior leader who takes the meeting no one else wants to take, who prepares for the room no one else prepared for, who carries the context that should have been distributed. — Angela C. Hill, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Applied Intuition, the $15 billion startup that supplies the software infrastructure behind self-driving cars, autonomous trucks, mining equipment and military drones, wants to do the same thing for the world of autonomous machines. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 Virtually every regulation came into being because people died, and the military wants to prevent that from happening again. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 The presence of Ben Stiller as both lead producer and supporting player furthers the impression that The Dink wants to do for pickleball what Dodgeball did for that sport. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 The 22-year-old wants to leave in order to get more first team football. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Chris Pine wants his security deposit and first month’s rent back on a rental that didn’t work out, though the rental in question cost nearly $70,000 a month. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 14 July 2026

Noun

Key topics include creating effective budgets by distinguishing needs from wants, building emergency funds of 3-6 months' expenses, and choosing debt repayment strategies like snowball or avalanche. — Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 The goal is your comfort rather than bending yourself to the wants of strangers. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 15 July 2026 All of this helps customers know their Leftover Money number, which is the amount that customers can safely spend on wants while still meeting their main financial obligations. — Catherine Collins, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Powell had flown to Paris and met with Coffin at Illumination’s offices, heard his wants and needs, spotted the movie, then started to write. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2026 These are more than reasonable wants. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026 Their thinly sketched roles only underscore the welcome presence of Nate’s three daughters, who — while individualized with distinct wants and needs — maintain a feminine alliance that gives the story its heart. — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 27 May 2026 The price simply reflects the building’s capacity for satisfying human wants—with the latter as well as the former physical facts about the world. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The fact that those dreary assessments have very little to do with the actual wants and needs of the vast majority of Californians — not to mention the state’s history of electing mostly dull and drab governors — should give their authors pause. — Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wants

Verb

If the public craves a trillion-dollar tax increase on the well-off, there are better ways to spend the money.

— Marc Novicoff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Our Top Picks for the Best Console Tables Minimal, contemporary, and compact, this best-selling console table is for anyone who craves compactness without losing any character along the way.

— Nora Taylor, Architectural Digest, 23 July 2026

Definition of craves

Verb

Though the crime is a problem that needs to be addressed, Robinson said some of her neighbors are using it as an excuse to make racist comments.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
Grandfathered into the history of the hotel is Top of the East—just the kind of old-school, sprawling rooftop lounge with a drop-dead panoramic view of the twinkling town that every city needs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

Definition of needs

Verb

Research shows that one in two girls who quit sports has been criticized for their body type, and Penso wishes her presence on the pitch can challenge those perceptions.

— Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Brown’s colleagues on the council and other public figures sent well wishes Thursday in the comments of her social media post.

— Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Definition of wishes

Noun

The Anaheim Ducks, at least, had a lot of pace and tempo to help make up for what Carlson’s skating lacks at this point in his career.

— Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Nothing beats a big package or a pipe to compensate for decorations, makeup, and other lacks.

— Joyce Mansour, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Definition of lacks

Noun

And in crafting the best strategy, Dusty was a pro and breaking down the film on his competitors, finding their weaknesses and leaning into those to create his advantages.

— George Deeb, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
The case exposed serious weaknesses in financial oversight and shook public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting taxpayer dollars.

— Malia M Cohen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026

Definition of weaknesses

Verb

Concerns should be raised honestly, and employees should cooperate in good faith, remembering that the new manager was hired for their experience and knowledge that the organization desires.

— Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
The portrait of Musk that emerges here is that of a childish, terminally online man who desires to eliminate the messiness of contemporary life for a more rigid order.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Definition of desires

Browse Nearby Words

wantons

wants

war

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Style

“Wants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wants. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wants

verb

noun

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