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:
Staring back at my bed, I wish I was, in fact, still sleeping.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
She pointed to a desire to boost domestic production in agriculture and other sectors, alongside a wish to propagate "family values" and liberties.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
"I'm sorry for what happened. I wish you can learn to forgive me one of these days."
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Here’s what I’d go back and tell myself at 25, and what I wish those in their 20s knew now, to be on the right path for a lofty retirement.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
First to wish on Anna’s coin at last: May she be warm in her house with the dog, and may the sídhe never cross her doorstep.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
But the alleged victim's mother said her daughter did not "want anyone to know" and they had to "respect her wishes".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Mr. El-Sayed sends his thanks and best wishes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Maintaining clear communication, transparency and documenting the arrangement helps prevent misunderstandings and jealousy among siblings and ensures that the parents’ wishes are honored.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
“For this reason, the Church wishes to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard our humanity.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
“He will have every body’s wishes for his happiness.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Even the most partisan of England fans would have wished him well.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Juan Escalante, who attended a concert in August, was transported right back to his childhood bedroom in Venezuela, “when I wished I had a cool room like Arnold’s!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
It wasn’t the first time I wished for an AI-powered drone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
None of the thousands of couples I’ve worked with over the past 30 years have ever told me they wished they’d bought a fancier car.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
He wished to make it all not true.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
But Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that security forces "are not cracking down on young people" but rather "protecting" school and university students wishing to "peacefully voice their demands".
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
She refers to them as her “soul mates” and feels guilty wishing for a romantic partner when she already has three lifelong best friends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
I’m not wishing another pandemic on us, mind you.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
Refugees wishing to work or engage in a trade or business can apply for a special permit.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Not that long ago, I went to the wishing well downtown.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
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.
