wanting

[ won-ting, wawn- ]

/ ˈwɒn tɪŋ, ˈwɔn- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR wanting ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

lacking or absent: a motor with some of the parts wanting.

deficient in some part, thing, or respect: to be wanting in courtesy.

preposition

lacking; without: a box wanting a lid.

less; minus: a century wanting three years.

Origin of wanting

1250–1300; Middle English (adj.); see want, -ing²

Words nearby wanting

want list, wantage, wantagh, wantaway, wanted, wanting, wanton, wanxian, wany, wap, wapatoo

Definition for wanting (2 of 2)

want

[ wont, wawnt ]

/ wɒnt, wɔnt /

verb (used with object)

to feel a need or a desire for; wish for: to want one's dinner; always wanting something new.

to wish, need, crave, demand, or desire (often followed by an infinitive): I want to see you. She wants to be notified.

to be without or be deficient in: to want judgment; to want knowledge.

to fall short by (a specified amount): The sum collected wants but a few dollars of the desired amount.

to require or need: The house wants painting.

verb (used without object)

to feel inclined; wish; like (often followed by to): We can stay home if you want.

to be deficient by the absence of some part or thing, or to feel or have a need (sometimes followed by for): He did not want for abilities.

to have need (usually followed by for): If you want for anything, let him know.

to be in a state of destitution, need, or poverty: She would never allow her parents to want.

to be lacking or absent, as a part or thing necessary to completeness: All that wants is his signature.

noun

something wanted or needed; necessity: My wants are few.

something desired, demanded, or required: a person of childish, capricious wants.

absence or deficiency of something desirable or requisite; lack: plants dying for want of rain.

the state of being without something desired or needed; need: to be in want of an assistant.

the state of being without the necessaries of life; destitution; poverty: a country where want is virtually unknown.

a sense of lack or need of something: to feel a vague want.

Origin of want

1150–1200; Middle English wante < Old Norse vanta to lack

SYNONYMS FOR want

1 require, crave.

3 need.

11 desideratum.

13 dearth, scarcity, scarceness, inadequacy, insufficiency, paucity, meagerness.

15 privation, penury, indigence.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR want ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for want

1. See wish. 3. See lack. 15. See poverty.

OTHER WORDS FROM want

want·er, noun want·less, adjective want·less·ness, noun self-want, noun

un·want·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH want

unwanted unwonted want wont

Example sentences from the Web for wanting

So many girls are idolizing these models and wanting to look like them.

How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models |Carrie Arnold |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
He posted on Facebook about wanting to do something “right” and meaningful.

Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours |Michael Daly |December 31, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But throughout all this, Malone describe herself as “oddly responsible,” wanting to help her moms pay the bills as young as 10.

Jena Malone’s Long, Strange Trip From Homelessness to Hollywood Stardom |Marlow Stern |December 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The vast majority of New Yorkers seem to disagree, wanting the Santas gone for good.

Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest |David Freedlander |December 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Which was sweet and also troubling, because it meant that I have never shut up about wanting to be Peter Pan.

The Cast of ‘Peter Pan Live!’ Knows You Hatewatched ‘The Sound of Music’ |Kevin Fallon |December 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It is in excellent preservation; the only parts which are wanting are the fingers of the right hand and the object which it held.

A History of Art for Beginners and Students |Clara Erskine Clement
Not only the idea itself, but all means of expressing it, were wanting to the Hebraic religion.

My Religion |Leo Tolstoy
Such too will not always be wanting; neither perhaps now are.

Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History |Thomas Carlyle
"I reckon you don't lose a fortune by their wanting to go to bed," said Schomberg, with sombre sarcasm.

Victory |Joseph Conrad
Rick studied the man through half-lowered lids, not wanting to be rude by staring openly.

The Flying Stingaree |Harold Leland Goodwin

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (1 of 3)

wanting

/ (ˈwɒntɪŋ) /

adjective (postpositive)

lacking or absent; missing

not meeting requirements or expectations you have been found wanting

preposition

without

archaic minus

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (2 of 3)

want ¹

/ (wɒnt) /

verb

(tr) to feel a need or longing for I want a new hat

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to wish, need, or desire (something or to do something) he wants to go home

(intr usually used with a negative and often foll by for) to be lacking or deficient (in something necessary or desirable) the child wants for nothing

(tr) to feel the absence of lying on the ground makes me want my bed

(tr) to fall short by (a specified amount)

(tr) mainly British to have need of or require (doing or being something) your shoes want cleaning

(intr) to be destitute

(tr; often passive) to seek or request the presence of you're wanted upstairs

(intr) to be absent

(tr; takes an infinitive) informal should or ought (to do something) you don't want to go out so late

want in informal to wish to be included in a venture

want out informal to wish to be excluded from a venture

noun

the act or an instance of wanting

anything that is needed, desired, or lacked to supply someone's wants

a lack, shortage, or absence for want of common sense

the state of being in need; destitution the state should help those in want

a sense of lack; craving

Derived forms of want

wanter, noun

Word Origin for want

C12 (vb, in the sense: it is lacking), C13 (n): from Old Norse vanta to be deficient; related to Old English wanian to wane

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (3 of 3)

want ²

/ (wɒnt) /

noun

English dialect a mole

Word Origin for want

Old English wand

Idioms and Phrases with wanting

want

In addition to the idioms beginning with want

want for nothing
want in

also see:

waste not, want not

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

wanting

adjective

preposition

Origin of wanting

Words nearby wanting

Definition for wanting (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of want

SYNONYMS FOR want

synonym study for want

OTHER WORDS FROM want

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH want

Example sentences from the Web for wanting

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (1 of 3)

adjective (postpositive)

preposition

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (2 of 3)

verb

noun

Derived forms of want

Word Origin for want

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for want

Idioms and Phrases with wanting

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

wanting

adjective

preposition

Origin of wanting

Words nearby wanting

Definition for wanting (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of want

SYNONYMS FOR want

synonym study for want

OTHER WORDS FROM want

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH want

Words related to wanting

Example sentences from the Web for wanting

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (1 of 3)

adjective (postpositive)

preposition

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (2 of 3)

verb

noun

Derived forms of want

Word Origin for want

British Dictionary definitions for wanting (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for want

Idioms and Phrases with wanting