wish

[wish]

verb (used with object)

1. 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

2. to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified).

   to wish the problem settled.

3. to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for.

   to wish someone well;

   to wish someone ill.

4. to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking.

   to wish someone a good morning.

5. to request or charge.

   I wish him to come.

   Synonyms: order, direct

verb (used without object)

1. to desire; long; yearn (often followed byfor ).

   Mother says I may go if I wish.

   I wished for a book.

2. to make a wish.

   She wished more than she worked.

noun

1. an act or instance of wishing.

2. a request or command.

   I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.

   Synonyms: want, will, desire

3. an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature.

   to send one's best wishes.

4. something wished or desired.

   He got his wish—a new car.

verb phrase

1. wish on

   1. to force or impose (usually used in the negative).

      I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.

   2. Also wish upon. to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman.

      to wish on a star.

wish

/ wɪʃ /

verb

1. 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

2. (tr) to feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of

   I wish you well

3. (tr) to desire or prefer to be as specified

4. (tr) to greet as specified; bid

   he wished us good afternoon

5. formal,  (tr) to order politely

   I wish you to come at three o'clock

noun

1. the act of wishing; the expression of some desire or mental inclination

   to make a wish

2. something desired or wished for

   he got his wish

3. (usually plural) expressed hopes or desire, esp for someone's welfare, health, etc

4. formal,  (often plural) a polite order or request

Other Word Forms

• wisher noun
• wishless adjective
• interwish verb (used with object)
• outwish verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wish¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wishen, Old English wȳscan; cognate with German wünschen, Old Norse æskja; akin to Old English wynn “joy” ( winsome ), Latin venus “charm” ( Venus ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wish¹

Old English wӯscan; related to Old Norse öskja, German wünschen, Dutch wenschen

Idioms and Phrases

• if wishes were horses

Example Sentences

Striking a remorseful tone, she told members she wished the party had scrapped the legislation when it was still in power.

From BBC

Family and loved ones filled Sarah’s backpack with love notes and well wishes.

From Salon

The mother-of-three said there was too much "inappropriate content" for youngsters to access and she wished she had not given her eldest daughter a smartphone when she went to secondary school.

From BBC

The incident lasted five hours and the team wished the fell runner a speedy recovery.

From BBC

Dowden has been candid about her wish to get back on the dance floor following her diagnosis with breast cancer two years ago.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambition 
• aspiration 
• choice 
• hope 
• inclination 
• intention 
• longing 
• prayer 
• preference 
• request 
• will 
• yearning 

When To Use

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.