want
verb (used with object)
to feel a need or a desire for; wish for.
has been wanting
-
present perfect progressiveof want (3rd person singular).present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
My son has been wanting to collect all the pups from the Paw Patrol movie ever since my husband and I took him to see it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Eisenberg has been wanting to set a movie in Poland for about 18 years.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 19, 2024
They tell her it is the mind that sins, not the body; and that where purpose has been wanting there is no guilt.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
For years, she has been wanting to put on a cooking demonstration to get people thinking about food in prisons, and last year, despite the pandemic, she decided to do it.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2021
And my other cousin has been wanting to go back to college for around seven years.
From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
