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.
American pistachios are cultivated for maximum output and size, which is a desired quality for traders, but can also undermine the taste and complexities of the nut, some argue.
From Salon • May 6, 2026
Raised predominantly by his grandmother, he moved to Iten to pursue his running ambitions in 2017, but his time in Kenya's 'home of champions' failed to produce the desired results.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
And an AI platform may be their desired option, given how the technology is rapidly finding its way into the mainstream.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026
Unified has enough money hoarded in reserves to reach a desired agreement.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
It is desired that the investigation of subject be most searching and pointed towards ascertaining the nature of her present activity and the identity of her associate.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
