want
verb (used with object)
to feel a need or a desire for; wish for.
had wanted
-
past perfectof want.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
I watched a sixth-round afterthought — the 199th pick in the draft, a kid nobody had wanted on their team — walk onto the field and start rewriting what was possible.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
She had wanted to look good on video.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
“We had wanted to live facing nature for a long time,” said her husband, Samuel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
He explained he had always wanted to be a soldier and that like "all the young lads" he had wanted to play his part in defending his country.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Newton’s culture, it could be argued, was inherently conservative and traditionalist; Newton could not have formulated the idea of a revolution even if he had wanted to.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
