wantverb [ T ]
uk/wɒnt/us/wɑːnt/want verb [ T ] (WISH)
A1 to wish for a particular thing or plan of action. "Want" is not used in polite requests:
I want some chocolate.
She wants a meeting with you.
He's everything you'd ever want in a man - bright, funny and attractive.
[ + to infinitive ] What do you want to eat?
[ + obj + to infinitive ] Do you want me to take you to the airport?
[ + obj + past participle ] This package - do you want it sent today?
[ + obj + adj ] Do you want this pie hot?
[ + obj + -ing verb ] I don't want you coming in at two a.m., waking me up.
You wait - by next year she'll be wanting a bigger house!
Compare
like verb
to wish or need someone to be present:
Am I wanted at the meeting tomorrow?
He is wanted by the police (= they are searching for him).
want in/out of informal
to want to start or stop being involved in something:
I want out of the whole venture before it's too late.
More examples
- I don't want to talk about it anymore - let's drop the subject.
- They want to elevate the status of teachers.
- I wanted to buy it but it cost too much money.
- He wants to spend more time with his family.
- There's a queue of companies wanting to sell the product.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Wanting things
- ache for sth
- acquisitive
- ambitious
- angle
- angle for sth
- aspirant
- burn
- fancy
- finger
- hang the cost/expense idiom
- hanker after/for sth
- have your eye on sth idiom
- hunger
- hunger after/for sth
- set your sights on sth idiom
- shook
- sight
- sth is calling you idiom
- straw
- tempt
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want verb [ T ] (NEED)
UK to need something:
Do you think this soup wants a bit of salt?
[ + -ing verb ] The wine is in the fridge - it just wants cooling for a couple of minutes.
If you ask me that child wants a good slap!
want to UK
used in giving advice to mean that someone should do something:
She wants to tell him now, before it's too late.
You don't want to put too much pepper in.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lacking things
- bankrupt
- bankruptcy
- be hard up (for sth) idiom
- bereft
- catch
- cry out for sth
- demand
- hole
- lack
- lacking
- need
- need sth like you need a hole in the head idiom
- needful
- short
- shortage
- take
- the cupboard is bare idiom
- the UN
- unsatisfied
- vacuum
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Idiom(s)
not/never want for anything
tried and found wanting
wantnoun
uk/wɒnt/us/wɑːnt/want noun (LACK)
[ U ] a lack of something:
For want of anything better to do I watched television for a while.
If we fail it won't be for want of trying (= we have tried even if we fail).
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lacking things
- bankrupt
- bankruptcy
- be hard up (for sth) idiom
- bereft
- catch
- cry out for sth
- demand
- hole
- lack
- lacking
- need
- need sth like you need a hole in the head idiom
- needful
- short
- shortage
- take
- the cupboard is bare idiom
- the UN
- unsatisfied
- vacuum
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want noun (NEED)
in want of
needing:
He appeared tired and in want of a shave.
wants [ plural ] formal
needs:
Our wants are few.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lacking things
- bankrupt
- bankruptcy
- be hard up (for sth) idiom
- bereft
- catch
- cry out for sth
- demand
- hole
- lack
- lacking
- need
- need sth like you need a hole in the head idiom
- needful
- short
- shortage
- take
- the cupboard is bare idiom
- the UN
- unsatisfied
- vacuum
See more results »