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desire

[ dih-zahyuhr ]
/ dɪˈzaɪər /
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See synonyms for: desire / desired / desires / desiring on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), de·sired, de·sir·ing.
to wish or long for; crave; want.
to express a wish to obtain; ask for; request: The mayor desires your presence at the next meeting.
noun
a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment: a desire for fame.
an expressed wish; request.
something desired.
sexual appetite or a sexual urge.
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Origin of desire

1200–50; Middle English desiren<Old French desirer<Latin dēsīderāre;see desiderate

synonym study for desire

3. 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 WORDS FROM desire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to desire

ambition, appetite, aspiration, craving, devotion, eagerness, fascination, greed, hunger, inclination, love, lust, motive, need, passion, thirst, will, wish, yearning, appeal

How to use desire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for desire

desire
/ (dɪˈzaɪə) /
verb (tr)
to wish or long for; crave; want
to express a wish or make a request for; ask for
noun
a wish or longing; craving
an expressed wish; request
sexual appetite; lust
a person or thing that is desired

Other words from desire

Related adjective: orectic

Derived forms of desire

desirer, noun

Word Origin for desire

C13: from Old French desirer, from Latin dēsīderāre to desire earnestly; see desiderate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with desire

desire

see leave a lot to be desired.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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