1
as in urge
a strong wish for something
a desire for adventure and excitement prompted him to travel to Africa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passion
sexual appetite
ads for drugs that increase desire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in appeal
an earnest request
at the delegate's desire, the voice vote on the controversial measure was followed by an actual roll call
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to crave
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy
he greatly desired a new mountain bike for his next birthday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to seek
to make a request for
the host desires a response to the dinner invitation by tomorrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desire
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
There are more overtly sexy moments in Fennell’s movie — the physical intimacy is ratcheted up significantly from the book — but this scene underlines the Brontë’s themes of desire and repression — and the friction between them — that imprinted on the filmmaker as a teen.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Press a small indentation in the center if desired.
—Michiko Tomioka, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desire
Noun
Trump has said his desire to acquire Greenland is driven by a combination of national security strategy and access to natural resources.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
There are more overtly sexy moments in Fennell’s movie — the physical intimacy is ratcheted up significantly from the book — but this scene underlines the Brontë’s themes of desire and repression — and the friction between them — that imprinted on the filmmaker as a teen.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Boneless wings are bite-sized pieces of chicken—often made from boneless chicken breasts—that are breaded or battered, baked or fried, and then tossed in sauce if desired.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Press a small indentation in the center if desired.
—Michiko Tomioka, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desire
Noun
-
Resist the urge to interpret affection as loyalty.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Resist the urge to change your appearance.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Both juries rejected a defense argument that Alkayyali was under the influence of sudden passion, and would have considered a term of two to 20 years if they were persuaded by the argument.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In its place, the Fire Horse is galloping into view, calling us to approach life with passion and courage.—
Annabel Gat,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This dynamic has produced a range of figures, from the late Sathya Sai Baba, who claimed to perform miracles, to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose appeal lies in his widely popular Art of Living Foundation, which offers yoga and spiritual advice.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Savannah Guthrie opened the family’s plea by thanking supporters for their prayers before describing her mother as the heart of their family and making a direct appeal for contact, stressing Nancy Guthrie’s fragile health and urgent need for medication.—
Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz , Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Opera companies have long craved a compact, family-friendly hit, good for all ages, like ballet’s Nutcracker.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Your Cold Symptoms May Get Better There's a reason most people crave hot beverages like tea or lemon water when feeling under the weather.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bass and her campaign team have sought to highlight a list of accomplishments, including a steady decrease in homicides, a drop in street homelessness and her efforts to accelerate the construction of affordable housing.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The president has spent the past several months seeking to spotlight his efforts to lower drug prices for Americans.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The relentless weight of longing is largely absent from Fennell’s vision.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
-
While the British singer’s longing vocals and smooth hooks take obvious cues from ’90s and 2000s’ R&B, her bouncy and moody SoCal sound aligns her with the present.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After debuting with minimal fanfare in November 2025, the provocative Canadian drama about rival hockey players whose passion explodes into lust (and eventually love) became a word-of-mouth sensation.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As children growing up in the same highly dysfunctional household, the two form a bond more passionate than siblinghood and purer than lust.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the days following her abduction, the NBC anchor and her siblings have issued various emotional pleas for her return, offering to pay after unverified ransom notes were sent to several media organizations.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Prosecutors had earlier offered Thompson an 18-year plea deal to spare the victim from testifying at trial, according to a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desire. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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