desire
Americanverb (used with object)
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desires,
present (3rd person singular)
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desired,
past participle, past
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desiring
present participle
noun
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desires
plural
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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:
“The building evokes inside of me a desire to experiment,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Wong has maintained his curiosity and desire to gain a deeper understanding of the world, said Louis Lee, a friend who visits Wong regularly in prison.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
In the same letter, Buffett expressed a desire for Berkshire’s share count to decline.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Brands’ desire to stand out and backlash against AI imagery are driving marketers toward high-touch techniques like claymation and hand-drawn animation, filmmakers tell the WSJ Leadership Institute’s Katie Deighton.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
Dasch vehemently denied that a fear of getting caught and a desire to save his own life played any role in destroying Hitler's secret attack on America.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
Mr. Jones suggests that James sublimated doubts and forbidden desires into his stories and the routines of Cambridge and Eton.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
It’s a film for anyone who has put aside their desires and told themselves it’s too late or too scary to try something new.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
Many of the young people attending daytimers gigs were moving between the expectations of family and community and the desires of a younger generation testing out music, fashion, friendship and independence on its own terms.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
“I had to quell those desires for homeownership as I continue to see the price of everything grow exponentially,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
“The inimitable Locke,” he answered, “saith that mankind is engaged in perpetual uneasiness, and that it is lack which motivates us forward. In our desires, we resemble the action of a two-legged table.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
This helps maintain a desired arrangement, but it also restricts the types of structures that can form and the functions they can perform.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Its savings programme will cost $2.0 billion before delivering the desired yearly benefits.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Being a “permabull” and always betting on stocks is slightly better, because stocks go up more than they go down — but it still leaves a lot to be desired.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
There are reasons to postpone some of the toughest decisions beyond this Budget, such as how to fund desired increases in spending on defence and social care.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
When Tempier declared that the omnipotent God could create a vacuum if he so desired, Tempier insisted that God could break any Aristotelian law.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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
Dueling with windmills or the bright moon, desiring Dulcinea, coming to his senses and dying are the Don’s business.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2024
Her face glazed with tears, Hermione handed over her wand, and he left her sitting beside his bed, desiring nothing more than to get away from her.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
