WANTS Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

wants 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of want

as in craves

to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy I want a new car so badly!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in needs

to have as a requirement that stray cat wants food and a clean place to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wishes

to see fit do what you want

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in likes

to wish to have I want some ice cream for dessert, please

Synonyms & Similar Words

wants

2 of 2

noun

plural of want

as in lacks

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in weaknesses

a defect in character she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of wants

Verb

Indonesia wants to benefit from both, Mari Pangestu, Indonesian National Economic Council's vice chair, told reporters at a University of Hong Kong Business School event. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Talarico wants all Americans to be able to join Medicare; Paxton proposed a $25,000 tax deduction for out-of-pocket medical expenses. — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 Who wants to be the last one still funding these data center projects, a dastardly term that encompasses a significant share of economic growth and the stock market? — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2026 After all, no company wants to buy the first few that are economically prohibitive, so the Army is jumping in financially and then helping the economies of scale take over. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026 But Dukhovny wants it to be thought of as a car, not an eVTOL. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Underdog wants to give you even more joy with an offer to play $5 on the game and earn a $10 bonus bet. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 If UConn wants to play under the bright lights of big-time football, look the part! — Eric Womack, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 Tucked away on the Justice Department’s fifth floor, the two dozen or so lawyers at the OLC are charged with assessing the legality of actions the executive branch wants to take, especially those that are novel or likely to be contentious. — Perry Stein, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026

Noun

By the end, Bobby begins to have his own wants, curiosities and desires, Luster said — all filtered through a desperation to help and connect with Dina. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Decorating any room can be a challenge when your wants and budget don’t align. — Megan McCarty, The Spruce, 12 Oct. 2026 One common framework is the 50/30/20 budget, which reserves a share of take-home pay for wants after needs, savings and debt repayment. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also recommends creating a weekly or monthly spending limit for wants based on your own spending patterns. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 Put yourself in the perspective of your prospective customer, and create a campaign that taps into their desires and their fears, their wants and their needs. — Ivan Doruda, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Managing a client’s emotional wants and needs throughout the home-buying or -selling process is critical and best left to someone with a prefrontal cortex. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2026 First there’s Iya Segi (Iyabo Ojo), the authority in the house, to whom everyone except the patriarch must bow; the other women must seek her approval for their wants and needs. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 From the dark of an empty movie theater, or over clips of favorite movies, Pearson speaks of seeing his own wants or challenges reflected in characters like Buzz Lightyear or Forrest Gump or Elle Woods. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wants

Verb

In Kazan’s remake, Cathy craves power and freedom and manipulates the men in her life to achieve those goals.

— Katie Gunderman, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
The only thing Dudamel refuses to deliver that the audience clearly craves is a solo bow.

— Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of craves

Verb

The nation needs an ample supply for semiconductors, quantum and super computing, and superconducting magnets, added Robertson, who oversees the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Artificial intelligence needs as little as three seconds of you speaking to produce a convincing clone of your voice.

— Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of needs

Verb

Top Pick’s owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a high-net-worth, strategic foreign investor, according to Choi.

— Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
Keldermans thanked everyone who participated and extended birthday wishes to one community member’s grandson.

— Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of wishes

Verb

In the small-cap space, Piper Sandler's Tenthoff likes Monte Rosa Therapeutics, a pioneer in protein degradation that selectively destroys disease-causing proteins.

— Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
After viciously hitting step-back threes, trash talking anyone who dares tempt him and racking up two NBA scoring titles, Doncic just likes to stay home, maybe get lunch or play cards.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of likes

Noun

In parts of society or in businesses, AI could exacerbate existing weaknesses, like extreme income inequality and the loneliness epidemic.

— Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The policy follows security tests that exposed weaknesses in OpenAI’s research infrastructure.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaknesses

Verb

Jaissle desires an on-field lieutenant in midfield who can provide a calm head and help guide and nurture the younger players around him.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Concerns should be raised honestly, and employees should cooperate in good faith, remembering that the new manager was hired for their experience and knowledge that the organization desires.

— Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of desires

Verb

Printing these flexible devices requires depositing two layers at once.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
Israeli law generally requires citizens to vote in person in the country, with narrow exceptions for diplomats and certain official emissaries abroad.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of requires

Browse Nearby Words

wantons

wants

war

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Wants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wants. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wants

verb

noun

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