desire

1 of 2

verb

de·​sire di-ˈzī(-ə)r How to pronounce desire (audio)
dē-
desired; desiring

transitive verb

1
: to long or hope for : exhibit or feel desire for
desire success
knew that men still desired her
2
a
: to express a wish for : request
they desire an immediate answer
b
archaic : to express a wish to : ask
desired them to reconsider
3
obsolete : invite
4
archaic : to feel the loss of

intransitive verb

: to have or feel desire
They may come if they so desire.

desire

2 of 2

noun

1
: conscious impulse (see impulse entry 1 sense 1) toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment
ridding oneself of all desires
how humans process desire
2
a
: longing, craving
teenagers' desire for independence
… the inexpensive homebuilt craft that satisfy many people's desire to flyJames Fallows
b
: sexual urge or appetite
3
: something longed or hoped for : something desired
You are my heart's desire.
4
: a usually formal request or petition for some action
at the desire of one fifth of those presentU.S. Constitution
Choose the Right Synonym for desire

desire, wish, want, crave, covet mean to have a longing for.

desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim.

desires to start a new life

wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable.

wishes for permanent world peace

want specifically suggests a felt need or lack.

wants to have a family

crave stresses the force of physical appetite or emotional need.

craves sweets

covet implies strong envious desire.

covets his rise to fame

Examples of desire in a Sentence

Verb He desired her approval more than anything. The apartment has modern amenities, a great location—everything you could desire. She knew that men still desired her. Noun Desire is a common theme in music and literature. The magazine tries to attend to the needs and desires of its readers. Both sides feel a real desire for peace. His decisions are guided by his desire for land. They expressed a desire to go with us. They have a desire to have children. a strong desire to travel around the world He was overcome with desire for her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Date of Brand Origin: 2015 Material: Polyamide, Polyester, and Cotton Colors Available: 1 Outdoor Research is one of those beloved companies that real outdoorsy types know and love because of its deep attention to detail and desire to create products that punch above their price points. William Goodman, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Withdraw earnings to your preferred cryptocurrency wallet when desired. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Neal Rubin is the rare journalist who has no plans or desire to write a novel or a screenplay. Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 Lewis said when practice is moving along as desired, the Aztecs should be running 40 plays in 15 minutes. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 While a majority of the neighborhood caters to families, the mixed-use development attracts young professionals (bolstering the city's income tax), college graduates and empty nesters who want less space but still desire a walkable community. The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024 Read Next: Recipe: Jesse Griffith’s Turkey & Dumplings If desired, cut out some decorative shapes from any remaining puff pastry. The Editors, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 From professing their love and desire to be human, to hallucinating case law, check out the slideshow above for some of the biggest AI chatbot blunders — so far. Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 On top of that, KU’s defense left a lot to be desired — the Bears shot a blistering 55.2% from the field. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024
Noun
Neighbors pushed back, insisting the growth prospective businesses desire is imminent. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2024 At the time, the eldest Beckham son also expressed a desire to emulate the path his dad took to fatherhood. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 This desire sparked my first trip out to Folly Beach — one of Charleston’s main beaches — with a lounge chair, sunscreen, and a couple of page-turning books in hand. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 But Republicans, who control the legislature, also have a desire to win back the state after bursting Democratic optimism in the last two Senate races. Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 One is a desire to run the system through fast-growing Riverside County and the other is opposition among coastal communities in San Diego and Orange counties to having high-speed rail there. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The robust designs, said Canales, grow out of a mountain of demands, including a desire to reflect local context and history, a need to build quickly, cheaply and sturdily with Sonoran materials and labor and to respond to limited budgets and a harsh climate, not to mention crime and vandalism. Sam Lubell, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 By understanding and appealing to the intrinsic motives and desires of consumers, advertisers can create messages that not only capture attention but also foster long-term relationships. Leslie Poston, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 This isn't the first time Latifah has discussed her desire to bring back Living Single. EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French desirer, from Latin desiderare, from de- + sider-, sidus heavenly body

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of desire was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near desire

Cite this Entry

“Desire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desire. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

desire

1 of 2 verb
de·​sire di-ˈzī(ə)r How to pronounce desire (audio)
desired; desiring
1
: to long for : wish earnestly
desire wealth
desire peace
2
: to call for : express a wish for : request
the librarian desires us to return all overdue books

desire

2 of 2 noun
1
: a strong wish : longing
also : the mental power or ability to experience desires
2
: an expressed wish : request
3
: something desired

Legal Definition

desire

transitive verb
de·​sire
desired; desiring
: to wish for earnestly see also precatory

Note: Courts have variously interpreted desire in wills to indicate either a direction of the testator that must be followed or merely an expression of what the testator hoped would happen.

More from Merriam-Webster on desire

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