desired
Americanadjective
-
yearned or wished for; coveted.
-
deemed correct or proper; selected; required.
The chef added stock until the sauce reached the desired consistency.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of desired
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at desire, -ed 2
Explanation
Anything desired is sought after. Money and love are desired by just about everyone. If your moony eyes don’t have the desired effect, then you’re still not getting seconds on dessert. If you desire something, you crave it. Something desired, then, is an object of desire. A desired job is one that many people seek. A desired cake looks delicious — you see it and you want to have it. When a type of clothing becomes popular, it’s desired by many. Some things are desired because they are rare, like a comic book with the first appearance of Batman. Anything desired is coveted.
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.
But the galleries leave much to be desired.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Social media fuelled a spike in interest over recent years – with her museum's bold floral shapes and shiny steel orbs turning into a desired backdrop for selfies and poses.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
You can convert a portion of your traditional IRA each year when it suits, or even make multiple conversions throughout the year, while staying within your desired tax bracket.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
Laser light continuously travels through both parts of the system, helping the desired optical states form and remain stable.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
It was plain that most of them desired to go first to Minas Tirith, and to escape at least for a while from the terror of the Enemy.
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.
