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
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Recent Examples of wants
Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
The big question might end up being how long Lutnick, who doesn’t exactly need the job of commerce secretary, wants to remain a punching bag — especially with Democrats favored to win control of the House later this year.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Taylor wants new gun owners to know proper training and education come first.
—Jason Rantala, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Seriously, there’s something for everyone, from the person who just wants edamame or the Uchi salad, to oyster and sushi lovers, and those who want hot entrées that may include halibut, karaage chicken or wagyu steak.
—Shindy Chen
february 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
With a mostly new coaching staff, Schumaker wants his players more comfortable talking to coaches and his coaches more comfortable talking to him.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Neoliberalism wants atomization, managing our own human capital.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
The director wants viewers to leave questioning institutional complicity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
For now, Alibaba wants a seat at that table.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 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
New York's new socialist mayor wants to tax corporations and wealthy New Yorkers to finance the city's $12 billion budget deficit.
—Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
The big question might end up being how long Lutnick, who doesn’t exactly need the job of commerce secretary, wants to remain a punching bag — especially with Democrats favored to win control of the House later this year.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Taylor wants new gun owners to know proper training and education come first.
—Jason Rantala, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Seriously, there’s something for everyone, from the person who just wants edamame or the Uchi salad, to oyster and sushi lovers, and those who want hot entrées that may include halibut, karaage chicken or wagyu steak.
—Shindy Chen
february 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
With a mostly new coaching staff, Schumaker wants his players more comfortable talking to coaches and his coaches more comfortable talking to him.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Neoliberalism wants atomization, managing our own human capital.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
The director wants viewers to leave questioning institutional complicity.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
For now, Alibaba wants a seat at that table.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 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
-
Oliver counsels Evan that Bree is very frightened and craves stability.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Trump, who clearly craves approval, could have been the sort of president people actually want to name buildings after, instead of the kind who has to name them after himself.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And everyone needs to look out for bicyclists, who drive fast and rarely slow down to maneuver around crowds.—
Katie James Watkinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Ayla Loon’s artistry goes beyond song craft, and Funnybone clearly understands the multi-layered approach that needs to be taken to best appreciate the music.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Owner Fardowsa Sheik Ali just wishes more people were willing stop in and try it.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Androw always chooses House of Bread and wishes more pizzerias would take up the cause.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Beckham likes to apply the tint across her nose and the top of her cheeks to channel a fresh-off-the-beach flush.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The fancy men are very rude to Tristan, which is terrible manners and therefore very UN-fancy, but Charlotte likes him.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
27 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Per-room prices for hotel purchases fell in California primarily due to weaknesses in the Bay Area market, Atlas Hospitality Group reported in its annual survey of hotel sales activity.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 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
-
Demonstrating that government can take care of the basics while accomplishing big things, which requires following through on our commitment to invest in critical needs like water, connectivity, and healthcare.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The agency requires its divisions, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, to train officers in de-escalation techniques and to use force only after a verbal warning, if possible, and a chance to comply.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wants. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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