wanted 1 of 2

Definition of wantednext

wanted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of want
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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 wanted
Adjective
When border agents board during a stop (each with wanted posters of Philip and Elizabeth), Paige disembarks. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026 Police have not said why the wanted suspect was originally being sought by officers. Tim Fang, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026 Manafort has taken revenge by switching Mason’s identity with that of a wanted terrorist, leading M16 to go on their mission. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 Jan. 2026 Former Olympian Ryan Wedding, who sat on the FBI’s most wanted list since March of 2025, was apprehended in Mexico, officials announced on Friday. Forbestv, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 The New York City shooting happened in front of a surveillance camera, and police released other surveillance images in a wanted poster amid a nationwide manhunt. Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026 In touting the arrest of Wedding, Patel highlighted the FBI’s arrest of six of the agency’s top 10 most wanted fugitives in the past year — including the recent arrest of a man in Mexico, who was charged with murdering a woman in North Carolina in 2016. Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026 One of the men in the wanted posters previously lived at the house but moved out, according to relatives close to the situation, who described him as the ex-husband of a member of the Thao family. Maria Alejandra Cardona, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026 Castillo was the 516th person to be placed on the wanted list. Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Verb
Celta’s fan group Carcamans Celestes, from the small fishing village on the island of A Illa de Arousa in north-west Spain, wanted to show their support for Iglesias. Colin Millar, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026 Campbell wanted to focus on tomorrow. Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026 Even when the lockdown lifted and restaurants started reopening, people still wanted Hyett’s family meals. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026 When Michael Weiss, a two-time Olympian and two-time world bronze medalist, first told Boitano about a talented skater in Virginia who wanted to learn to do a backflip on the ice, Boitano made a note to pay attention to the kid, who hadn’t started doing quad jumps regularly yet. Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026 The people leaving were, broadly speaking, the well-off, the business class, those who wanted to protect their investments and properties. Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026 Fewer than a third of Americans surveyed, or 31%, wanted low or zero immigration, compared with 41% in January 2025. Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026 But Jones was the only player the Nuggets wanted to retain in the summer of 2025. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026 Right before the crash, discussions captured on the cockpit voice recorder indicated that the pilot wanted the landing gear to be launched. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanted
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
  • It will be devoured by the 49ers Faithful’s malnourished soul that has craved another championship for 31 years.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The all-important churn needed for a healthy labor market has slowed considerably, and there are more people searching for jobs than are available.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • As a result, James won’t be able to hit the 65-game minimum needed to be considered for league awards, as per the collective bargaining agreement.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The January transfer window ended with fewer signings than Nottingham Forest might have wished, but not with any shortage of drama.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Just as the Founders would have wished!
    Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • These 5-second, 10-second and shot-clock turnovers are a good indicator of the aggressive style of full-court defense that Texas liked to play.
    Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Fernández liked the intent against the Wizards as much as the box score.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Bhumjaithai is seen as the main defender and preferred choice of the royalist-military establishment.
    GRANT PECK, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • One option is rolling with a six-man rotation, which would keep Crawford or Sandoval in their preferred role while building in extra rest for the others.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • His defensive metrics left a lot to be desired.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
  • McTavish, now in his fourth season, is still looking for the breakout that his second half of last season hinted at, with defense and overall consistency leaving a bit to be desired.
    Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The seven-member commission plays a pivotal role in overseeing police reforms required under a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Justice Department.
    Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2026
  • The attorney general at one point acknowledged that mistakes had been made as the Justice Department tried to comply with a federal law that required it to review, redact and publicize millions of files within a 30-day period.
    Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The move – and more, its blunt public announcement – may have pleased Trump world, but turned out to be disastrous for the Post’s business.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Kennedy’s concern with productivity would have pleased Charles Davenport, a powerful leader of 20th-century American eugenics.
    Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wanted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanted. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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