desire
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment.
a desire for fame.
- Synonyms:
- thirst, appetite, hunger, aspiration
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an expressed wish; request.
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something desired.
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sexual appetite or a sexual urge.
verb
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to wish or long for; crave; want
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to express a wish or make a request for; ask for
noun
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a wish or longing; craving
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an expressed wish; request
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sexual appetite; lust
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a person or thing that is desired
Usage
What are other ways to say desire? To desire something or someone is to crave or long for them. How is desire different from want and wish? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Synonym Usage
Desire, craving, longing, yearning suggest feelings that impel one to the attainment or possession of something. Desire is a strong feeling, worthy or unworthy, that impels to the attainment or possession of something that is (in reality or imagination) within reach: a desire for success. Craving implies a deep and imperative wish for something, based on a sense of need and hunger: a craving for food, companionship. A longing is an intense wish, generally repeated or enduring, for something that is at the moment beyond reach but may be attainable at some future time: a longing to visit Europe. Yearning suggests persistent, uneasy, and sometimes wistful or tender longing: a yearning for one's native land.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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desirednessnoun
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desirernoun
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overdesirenoun
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self-desirenoun
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desirelessadjective
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undesiringadjective
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desiredlyadverb
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desiringlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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desiresimple
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desiressimple
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have desiredperfect
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has desiredperfect
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am desiringprogressive
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are desiringprogressive
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is desiringprogressive
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have been desiringperfect progressive
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has been desiringperfect progressive
Past
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desiredsimple
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had desiredperfect
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was desiringprogressive
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were desiringprogressive
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had been desiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of desire
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English desiren, from Old French desirer, from Latin dēsīderāre; see desiderate ( def. )
Explanation
If you're talking about the longings of the heart, use the word desire. When you are studying for a difficult history exam, the desire to be somewhere far away doing something fun might be very strong! Desire can be used as both a noun and a verb. Is your boyfriend your heart's desire? Your parents probably desire your punctual appearance at the dinner table every evening. Desire is usually used not just when you long for any old thing, but for something that is associated with giving great pleasure. Thus, you might want to get an A on a test, but you desire a piece of chocolate cake.
Vocabulary lists containing desire
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"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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:
They are drawn by the promise of a more flexible schedule, a conviction in their own operational know-how and a desire to avoid grunt work that ends up lining the pockets of others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Drivers tend to lose the desire and commitment that is needed to test themselves to the limit in an extremely dangerous environment.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Washington has vehemently opposed Tehran's desire to charge tolls in the strait, which international law generally forbids.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
As someone who was a freelance writer for about a year, I can empathize with the desire to keep your life flexible while also feeling destabilized by the lack of structure.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Bobby was conflicted about his intense desire for privacy, and his need—from his earliest days of childhood—for attention.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
It twists away as if to say that human narratives, desires and destinies are annoying no matter who they belong to.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
To extricate itself, Unilever eventually transferred to the Israeli licensee the assets needed to sell Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Israel and its territories—for as long as he desires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
The boards of Musk’s companies have generally indulged his desires.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
As Spielberg predicted in 2005, humans would choose between doing their part to save one another or prioritizing their own desires, no matter who was affected.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
Though Pask has been lucky this far, he may find it difficult to obtain the kind of skilled work he desires.
From "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz
In other words, the detector may be able to select the desired events while rejecting many unrelated signals.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Topp recommends contacting the recreation department or high-school association for information and contacts regarding the certification requirements in the desired sport.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Each time you open a pack of Pokémon cards, you don’t know what you’re going to get, maybe a low-rated Wishiwashi or a highly desired Charizard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Housing limitations — such as lack of space or high costs — were cited as a barrier to having as many children as desired by 15% of Americans in the United Nations Population Fund poll.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
He seems to sense his words haven’t had the desired effect.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
Huckabee reportedly told embassy staff in an email there was "no need to panic, but for those desiring to leave, it's important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later".
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
Talk about two old school dishes that are doable, theoretically, for home chefs desiring to replicate the former dining experience in their more modest castles.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2025
The motivations for septuagenarian entrepreneurs include desiring autonomy, pursuing meaningful projects and addressing societal needs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2025
She had a predilection for painting women as modern, urban, desiring.
From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2024
Towards it they now hurried desiring only to find a fire, and a door between them and the night.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
