desire
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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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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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 desire of the French government and companies to lead joint defense projects has sometimes spelled the plans’ demise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Washington has vehemently opposed Tehran's desire to charge tolls in the strait, which international law generally forbids.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
As someone who was a freelance writer for about a year, I can empathize with the desire to keep your life flexible while also feeling destabilized by the lack of structure.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
“We go into a movie with the desire to believe,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
I had no desire to acquaint myself with the machine’s crushing gears and movements.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Man’s eternal anguish about understanding his gods’ desires provides a solemn core.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
The oleaginous Bruno becomes both personification and executor of Guy’s desires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"It's a story of someone who dared to dream, and I want people to take this example and motivate themselves to be very ambitious and to go for whatever their heart desires."
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
The show then focuses on how each attendee’s desires, concerns or lived experiences shape the perception of the reading.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
My desires are strangely compounded of yearning and misery.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
Each time you open a pack of Pokémon cards, you don’t know what you’re going to get, maybe a low-rated Wishiwashi or a highly desired Charizard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Business leaders have made it clear that their most desired outcome is lower tariffs and clarity on the future of US-Canada trade, even if it means negotiating past deadline.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
He used the AI assistant Claude to crib these from the desired skills listed in job postings for the kinds of roles he was targeting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Housing limitations — such as lack of space or high costs — were cited as a barrier to having as many children as desired by 15% of Americans in the United Nations Population Fund poll.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
Second, Mrs. Caruthers’s choice of literature left something to be desired.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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
The motivations for septuagenarian entrepreneurs include desiring autonomy, pursuing meaningful projects and addressing societal needs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2025
That’s when someone falsely accuses one’s perceived opponents of conducting, plotting or desiring to commit the same transgressions that one plans to commit or is already committing.
From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2025
But Southwest said it had listened to customers who sought more options, often desiring more comfortable, premium seats when they took longer flights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2024
“She must feel very lonely without her son,” said Edna, desiring to change the subject.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
