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want

verb
\ ˈwȯnt also ˈwänt and ˈwənt How to pronounce want (audio) \
wanted; wanting; wants

Definition of want

 (Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to be needy or destitute
2 : to have or feel need never wants for friends
3 : to be necessary or needed
4 : to desire to come, go, or be the cat wants in wants out of the deal

transitive verb

1 : to fail to possess especially in customary or required amount : lack the answer wanted courtesy
2a : to have a strong desire for wanted a chance to rest
b : to have an inclination to : like say what you want, he is efficient
3a : to have need of : require the motor wants a tune-up
b : to suffer from the lack of thousands still want food and shelter
4 : ought —used with the infinitive you want to be very careful what you say— Claudia Cassidy
5 : to wish or demand the presence of
6 : to hunt or seek in order to apprehend wanted for murder

want

noun

Definition of want (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : deficiency, lack suffers from a want of good sense
b : grave and extreme poverty that deprives one of the necessities of life
2 : something wanted : need, desire
3 : personal defect : fault
Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about want

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Choose the Right Synonym for want

Verb

desire, wish, want, crave, covet mean to have a longing for. desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim. desires to start a new life wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable. wishes for permanent world peace want specifically suggests a felt need or lack. wants to have a family crave stresses the force of physical appetite or emotional need. craves sweets covet implies strong envious desire. covets his rise to fame

Noun

poverty, indigence, penury, want, destitution mean the state of one with insufficient resources. poverty may cover a range from extreme want of necessities to an absence of material comforts. the extreme poverty of the slum dwellers indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances. the indigence of her years as a graduate student penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money. a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury want and destitution imply extreme poverty that threatens life itself through starvation or exposure. lived in a perpetual state of want the widespread destitution in countries beset by famine

Examples of want in a Sentence

Verb

 Do you want more coffee? He wants a bicycle for his birthday. I just wanted a chance to rest. She wanted more time to finish the test. Do you want anything from the store? What do you want for Christmas? You can choose whichever color you want. The motor wants a tune-up. Thousands of poor people still want food and shelter. Tell him that the teacher wants him.

Noun

 His attitude shows a want of proper respect. He is suffering from want of adequate sleep. people who are living in want
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 Don't want your camping mugs and stoves getting wet? — Rebekah Lowin, Country Living, "Amazon Sells a 9-Person Camping Tent That'll Fit the Whole Family—and It's on Sale Today," 28 May 2019 Some women will air-dry, others will do a wet set, and still others may want braids or a blowout. — Jennifer Goldstein, Marie Claire, "Hair Rules for Everyone," 7 Feb. 2019 While politicians argue over walls, investors might want to focus on moats. — Gerrard Cowan, WSJ, "A ‘Wide Moat’ ETF Is Up More Than 9%," 3 Feb. 2019 Seattle may indeed want to dip into the free agent waters to add a receiver. — Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times, "Seahawks Mailbag: Free agent rumors and rumblings — Could a few former Seahawks find their way back?," 23 Jan. 2019 But what may be most telling about this process is how many don’t want to repeat it. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Amazon HQ2 bids: The weird ways cities wanted to woo Bezos," 27 Dec. 2018 But the arrangement left out emerging-market economies, many of which want a greater say in how these international institutions are run. — Josh Zumbrun, WSJ, "U.S. Contemplates Appointing First Female President of World Bank," 24 Jan. 2019 Consider an investor who wanted to put some money into the U.S. stock market a couple of years ago. — Stan Choe, The Seattle Times, "40 years after his “folly,” Bogle’s index funds reign," 23 Jan. 2019 Yet somehow most of these letters found their way to people who wanted to help. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "This Kid Asked Each Car Company to Send Him A Decal," 23 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 But something about his case made her want to dig deeper. — Melissa Del Bosque, ProPublica, "The Case That Made an Ex-ICE Attorney Realize the Government Was Relying on False “Evidence” Against Migrants," 13 Aug. 2019 Interplay’s highly-engaging combination of art and music made one want to experience the work again. — Tim Diovanni, Dallas News, "Clarinet trio shines in opening concert at Dallas’ Basically Beethoven Festival," 12 July 2019 Ava Davis, 8, has watched the Florida Panthers play and said that made her want to try the program. — Gary Curreri, sun-sentinel.com, "Girls learn to play hockey through Florida Panthers program," 7 June 2019 Despite his fearsome résumé, Taskmaster's comic book incarnation is quite — for want of a better word — goofy. — Graeme Mcmillan, The Hollywood Reporter, "Scarlett Johansson Was Unsure Marvel Would Make 'Black Widow' Her Way," 23 July 2019 Do the Cavs want to trade down and go the big-volume approach? — Terry Pluto, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Cavaliers: NBA draft tonight could be a defining moment for rebuild — Terry Pluto," 20 June 2019

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