Want — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈwȯnt/

Meaning & Definition of Want

Want (verb)

  1. to be needy or destitute
  2. to have or feel need
  3. to be necessary or needed

Want (noun)

  1. deficiency, lack
  2. grave and extreme poverty that deprives one of the necessities of life
  3. something wanted, need, desire

Want (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy

    "I want a new car so badly!"

    similar: ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for), jones (for) (slang), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), wish (for), yearn (for), yen (for), set one's heart on
    related: spoil (for), adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, love, relish, revel (in), favor, prefer, admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value
    near: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, decline, refuse, reject, spurn

  2. to have as a requirement

    "that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep"

    similar: bear, challenge, claim, demand, necessitate, need, require, take, warrant, call for
    related: entail, involve, ask, beg, clamor (for), cry (for), hurt (for), lack, command, enjoin, exact, insist, press, quest, stipulate
    opposite: have, hold
    near: own, possess

  3. to see fit

    "do what you want"

    similar: choose, like, please, will, wish
    related: ache (for), covet, crave, desire, die (for), fancy, hanker (for), hunger (for), itch (for), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), yearn (for), decide, determine, resolve

  4. to wish to have

    "I want some ice cream for dessert, please"

    similar: care (for), like, feel like
    related: adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), love, relish, revel (in), welcome, covet, crave, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), wish (for), yearn (for)

Want (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the fact or state of being absent

    "the proverb that begins, for want of a nail, the shoe was lost"

    similar: absence, dearth, lack
    related: deficiency, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, undersupply, deprivation, loss, necessity, need, needfulness, omission, privation, blankness, emptiness, vacuity, vacuum, void
    opposite: presence
    near: abundance, amplitude, bounty, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, plenty, wealth, adequacy, sufficiency, excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus, deluge, flood, bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads, lot, mass, mountain, much, oodles, peck, pile, pot, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, volume, wad, fund, pool, stock, supply, cache, hoard, stash, stockpile

  2. a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

    "there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district"

    similar: crunch, dearth, deficiency, deficit, drought, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply
    related: absence, omission, meagerness, poorness, skimpiness, necessity, need, privation
    opposite: abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth
    near: bountifulness, copiousness, excess, overabundance, oversupply, surfeit, surplus

  3. a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful

    "those children are in want of some good discipline"

    similar: absence, lack, need, needfulness
    related: deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency, dearth, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, defect, minus, deprivation, famishment, privation, demand, essential, necessity, requirement, requisite
    near: adequacy, enough, sufficiency, fund, pool, stock, supply, excess, fill, overabundance, oversupply, plenty, surfeit, surplus, hoard, stockpile

  4. the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions

    "grew up in extreme want"

    similar: beggary, destituteness, destitution, impecuniosity, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, necessity, need, neediness, pauperism, penuriousness, penury, poorness, poverty
    related: gutter, misery, woe, wretchedness, exigency, emergency, rainy day, austerity, deprivation, privation, bankruptcy, insolvency, belt-tightening, pinching, straitening
    opposite: affluence, opulence, richness, wealth, wealthiness
    near: luxury, prosperity

  5. a defect in character

    "she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact"

    similar: demerit, dereliction, failing, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, weakness, feet of clay
    related: blot, spot, stain, blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit, Achilles' heel, soft spot, corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness
    opposite: merit, virtue
    near: excellence, perfection, goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Want

The most common words with a similar meaning to Want:

Slang: jones (for)
ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for), long (for), lust (for or after), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for), salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), wish (for), yearn (for), yen (for), bear, challenge, claim, demand, necessitate, need, require, take, warrant, choose, like, please, will, wish, care (for), set one's heart on, call for, feel like, absence, dearth

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Want

Words with the opposite meaning of Want:

have, hold, presence, abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth, affluence, richness, wealthiness, merit, virtue

Related Words for Want

spoil (for), adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), love, relish, revel (in), favor, prefer, admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, entail, involve, ask, beg, clamor (for), cry (for), hurt (for), command, enjoin, exact, insist, press

Near Antonyms of Want

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, decline, refuse, reject, spurn, own, possess, bounty, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus, deluge, flood, bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads

Word Forms of Want

Inflections: wanted, wanting, wants

Origin & Etymology of Want

Middle English, from Old Norse vanta; akin to Old English wan deficient

First known use: 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Want

Words & Phrases Containing Want

want ad, want (back) into, want for, want in on, want in/out, want no part of/in, want out of, want rid of

Frequently Asked Questions about Want

What does "Want" mean?

"Want" means to be needy or destitute. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to be needy or destitute. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Want"?

Other words for "Want" include ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after) and hunger (for). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Want" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Want"?

There are 168 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Want". Common alternatives include ache (for), covet, crave, desiderate, desire, die (for), hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for) and jones (for).

What is the opposite of "Want"?

Antonyms of "Want" include have, hold, presence, abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence and plenitude. Near antonyms include abhor, abominate, despise and detest.

How do you use "Want" in a sentence?

Examples of "Want" in a sentence: "I want a new car so badly!"; "that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep"; "do what you want".

Is "Want" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Want" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Want" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Want" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Want"?

"Want" is pronounced /ˈwȯnt/.