wish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
wishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
wished,
past participle, past
-
wishing
present participle
-
to want; desire; long for (usually followed by an infinitive or a clause).
I wish to travel.
I wish that it were morning.
- Synonyms:
- crave
-
to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified).
to wish the problem settled.
-
to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for.
to wish someone well;
to wish someone ill.
-
to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking.
to wish someone a good morning.
-
to request or charge.
I wish him to come.
verb (used without object)
-
wishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
wished,
past participle, past
-
wishing
present participle
-
to desire; long; yearn (often followed byfor ).
Mother says I may go if I wish.
I wished for a book.
-
to make a wish.
She wished more than she worked.
noun
-
wishes
plural
verb phrase
verb
-
to want or desire (something, often that which cannot be or is not the case)
I wish I lived in Italy
to wish for peace
-
(tr) to feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of
I wish you well
-
(tr) to desire or prefer to be as specified
-
(tr) to greet as specified; bid
he wished us good afternoon
-
formal (tr) to order politely
I wish you to come at three o'clock
noun
-
the act of wishing; the expression of some desire or mental inclination
to make a wish
-
something desired or wished for
he got his wish
-
(usually plural) expressed hopes or desire, esp for someone's welfare, health, etc
-
formal (often plural) a polite order or request
Usage
What are other ways to say wish? To wish is to want or long for something. How is wish different from desire and want? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
wishsimple
-
wishessimple
-
have wishedperfect
-
has wishedperfect
-
am wishingprogressive
-
are wishingprogressive
-
is wishingprogressive
-
have been wishingperfect progressive
-
has been wishingperfect progressive
Past
-
wishedsimple
-
had wishedperfect
-
was wishingprogressive
-
were wishingprogressive
-
had been wishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wish
First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wishen, Old English wȳscan; cognate with German wünschen, Old Norse æskja; akin to Old English wynn “joy” ( see winsome), Latin venus “charm” ( see Venus); noun derivative of the verb
Vocabulary lists containing wish
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I wish I could blame the fact that no woman can put up with me on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but I don’t think that’s the issue.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
"We know that we will always be victorious. I wish you peaceful skies, a good mood, comfort, prosperity and pride in our country."
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
"At that time, my greatest wish was to go out of the countryside, find a job and be able to eat better food."
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
I wish my mom were still alive to see it, because there’s no question she would be camped out on Hollywood Boulevard right now.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
I kept seeing her eyes flashing with cold fury, her face pinched and hard, her words: I wish we’d never been sent here together.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
But it will probably take years for Bronin to acquire the credibility on Social Security that Larson possessed, even assuming that he wishes to do so.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
To honor their mother’s wishes, three siblings return to the island of their childhood summers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Also, if the Bank of Japan wishes to strengthen the yen by encouraging the repatriation of Japanese capital, this could trigger huge and highly disruptive capital outflows.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
And at a time when the US president still wishes to control the vast Arctic island, the prospect of a US energy company potentially carrying out exploration activities is making people uneasy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
I set it on the kitchen table—a reminder of wishes come true—lit the kerosene lamp and finished writing my Honyocker’s Homily.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
“Of course the fairy tale ending was wished by all,” one commenter wrote on Facebook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
As he finished helping a fellow trainee gear up, one paratrooper wished another good luck with a firm handshake.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
They said they wished for him to be remembered "for the wonderful person he was and all that he achieved".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The country's Prime Minister Péter Magyar offered his "sincere condolences" to the families of the victims and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
I could hear the childish whine in my voice and wished I could sound angry and indignant like Hannie instead.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Whether you’re eight years old and you’re imagining doing it one day, or you’re 88 years old and maybe wishing you had done it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The guidance would support communities wishing to set up dark sky sites, which are locations with little or no light pollution.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
But sometimes, remodeling leaves homeowners with a sour taste in their mouth and wishing they’d skipped the project entirely.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026
“Though we cannot say for certain, it does look like they may have left the area on their great journey,” the nonprofit said, wishing them “a safe and successful life.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Cat shook her head, wishing away the tears that sprang up in her eyes.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
