wants 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of want
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

wants

2 of 2

noun

plural of want
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

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 wants
Verb
No one, for example, who wants hair like a politician’s wife—think Nancy Reagan blonde—is allowed in. — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026 And secondly, these stories are resonating with younger audiences, a demographic Hollywood desperately wants to reach. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 In true Joycean fashion, Ironweed wants both symbolism and naturalism, the elevated language of heaven’s vaults alongside the unadorned details of bodily filth. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Rock wants to pursue a career in music upon graduation and is already anticipating the next Train tour. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026 Raven-Flint wants to eliminate elemental fluorine The more unusual part of the company’s approach is its Corvus Route, a proprietary uranium conversion process designed to eliminate elemental fluorine gas from the production chain. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 Garden Homes wants to build at 30 Parade Hill Road, a small property a little less than a mile north of the town’s commercial center and a bit more than a mile south of the New Canaan Country Club. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026 For all the emotion and angst around the Tigers, Hinch wants his players to stay locked in on the micro. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Delta’s president, Peter Carter, told CNBC in June that the airline wants to fight United’s dominance, especially for trans-Pacific flights. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Balancing the wants and needs of these more demanding users has been a challenge that BYOK founder Nick Sjolinder has been trying to figure out how to tackle. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 29 Aug. 2026 Another popular option is the 50/20/30 method, which entails allocating 50% of your income to your needs, 20% to your savings and 30% to your wants. — Mallika Mitra, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Favorite Features By designing her own kitchen, Marinelli was able to customize it to her cooking needs and aesthetic wants. — Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 13 Aug. 2026 Men sharing their experiences, their foibles, their missteps, their wants, their aches, and a lot of humor with it. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 Key topics include creating effective budgets by distinguishing needs from wants, building emergency funds of 3-6 months' expenses, and choosing debt repayment strategies like snowball or avalanche. — Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 All of this helps customers know their Leftover Money number, which is the amount that customers can safely spend on wants while still meeting their main financial obligations. — Catherine Collins, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Powell had flown to Paris and met with Coffin at Illumination’s offices, heard his wants and needs, spotted the movie, then started to write. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2026 These are more than reasonable wants. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wants
  1. craves
  2. needs
  3. wishes
  4. likes
  5. lacks
  6. weaknesses
  7. desires
  8. requires
Verb
  • Yes, the automaker’s famed dual-clutch PDK remains the way to go if pure speed is what a driver craves, but those who feel that rowing through the gears adds to the experience can now choose to upgrade the model with the MT package.
    — Bryan Campbell, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In any case, local elections scheduled for November will provide a bellwether for whether her message has cut through with a Taiwanese electorate that craves neither confrontation nor political absorption.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of craves
Verb
  • Not every productive moment needs an audience, a grand entrance, or your name in lights.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For example, experts might put a lot of effort into listening to community needs to demonstrate integrity and openness, but miss opportunities to communicate the underlying benevolent motivations driving their work.
    — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of needs
Verb
  • Treating against the parents’ wishes would entail calling state authorities and requesting an emergency removal.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the supernatural horror film, a young man wishes for Nikki to love him more than anything, but the wish quickly takes a terrifying turn.
    — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of wishes
Verb
  • Henderson also likes the Garden's coming schedule of bookings, which remains robust.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Furthermore, is there any reliable way for working out whether someone likes us or is trying to take advantage of us, or trying to manipulate us?
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of likes
Noun
  • Long used in commercial kitchens for sinks and countertops, steel sinks contain chromium that provides corrosion-resistance and nickel that adds the brightness pure steel lacks.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 July 2026
  • The Anaheim Ducks, at least, had a lot of pace and tempo to help make up for what Carlson’s skating lacks at this point in his career.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lacks
Noun
  • Battling over Canada’s dairy market Legal experts see other weaknesses in the Section 338 tariffs.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While tech billionaires such as Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen may see empathy and introspection as weaknesses, those traits are the beating heart of literature and art, the wellspring of creativity and human connection.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaknesses
Verb
  • Jaissle desires an on-field lieutenant in midfield who can provide a calm head and help guide and nurture the younger players around him.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Concerns should be raised honestly, and employees should cooperate in good faith, remembering that the new manager was hired for their experience and knowledge that the organization desires.
    — Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of desires
Verb
  • This may not come as a surprise in a world not only of AI, but widespread access to technology that requires ordinary people to develop typing skills.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • If the rug requires mold or mildew remediation, consult a professional rug cleaner.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of requires

Browse Nearby Words

wantons
wants
war
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Cite this Entry

“Wants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wants. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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