# desire

/dɪˈzaɪɝ/ (US) · /dɪzˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/desire
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a strong wish

noun · CEFR B1

a strong feeling that you want something or want to do something.

For teachers: a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.

- He had a strong desire to travel the world after finishing university.
- Her lifelong desire to improve public health led her to pursue a career in medical research across several continents.

### 2. sexual attraction

noun · CEFR B2

a strong feeling of romantic or sexual attraction to someone.

For teachers: a strong feeling of sexual attraction or romantic appetite toward another person.

- The movie is a story about love, desire, and betrayal.
- The poet explores the tension between intellectual companionship and physical desire in his later works.

### 3. to want something

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to want something very much.

For teachers: to wish for or want something earnestly; often carries a more formal or intense tone than 'want'.

- You can have anything you desire for your birthday dinner.
- The shareholders desire a more transparent reporting process before they agree to the proposed merger.

Usage: Transitive verb taking a direct object or a 'to' infinitive.

### 4. to request

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to ask someone for something in a polite or formal way.

For teachers: to express a wish to someone; to request or entreat.

- The king desired his guests to join him in the garden.
- The governor desired the committee to reconsider their decision in light of the new economic data.

## Examples

- She has a strong desire to travel the world.
- The team's desire for victory was clear in the way they played during the final minutes of the game.
- Philosophers have long debated whether human desire is a source of progress or a fundamental cause of suffering in the modern world.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.