Word
want
US/ˈwɑnt/
UK/wˈɒnt/
Definitions
01to desire
A1 · Beginner
v. to wish for something or want to do something.
v. to feel a desire or wish for something; to crave or hanker after an object or action.
日本語:望む※
“I want to go to the park because the weather is beautiful.”
“The investors want a clear commitment from the board before they agree to provide any further capital for the project.”
Usage
Usually followed by a noun phrase or a 'to' infinitive.
Pitfall
I am wanting a coffee right now.
I want a coffee right now.
As a stative verb, 'want' is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) form in standard English.
02to need or require
B1 · Intermediate Informal
v. to need something or require attention.
v. to require or be in need of something; often used for objects that need maintenance.
日本語:いる※
“The garden really wants some water after this long dry spell.”
“The old wooden fence wants painting before the winter rains cause the timber to rot.”
Usage
Often followed by a gerund (-ing) in British English, e.g., 'the car wants washing'.
Teaching tip
This usage is more common in British English than American English.
03giving advice
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. you use this when you are telling someone what they should do.
v. used in the second person to offer advice or a recommendation, similar to 'should' or 'ought to'.
“You want to be careful when walking on those icy stairs.”
“You want to make sure the contract is signed by both parties before you start any actual construction work.”
Usage
Almost always used with 'you' as the subject.
04a desire
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a feeling of wanting something.
n. a specific desire, wish, or longing for something.
“The child had a sudden want for a chocolate ice cream.”
“The report highlights the public's growing want for more transparent government communication regarding environmental policies.”
05a lack
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Formal
n. a situation where there is not enough of something.
n. the state of being without something necessary or desirable; a deficiency.
Español:falta
“The plants died for want of water during the summer.”
“The project eventually failed, not for want of effort from the staff, but due to a total lack of financial support.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'for want of'.
Synonyms
06poverty
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary · Formal
n. the state of being very poor and not having what you need.
n. a state of extreme poverty or destitution.
“The charity works to help families living in want and hunger.”
“The Victorian novelist often depicted the stark contrast between the luxury of the upper classes and the desperate want of the urban poor.”
Usage
Usually uncountable in this sense.
Teaching tip
Often found in older literature or formal discussions about social welfare.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “want” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English wanten (“to lack, to need”), from Old Norse vanta (“to lack”), from Proto-Germanic wanatōną (“to be wanting, lack”), from wanô (“lack, deficiency”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”). Cognate with Middle High German wan (“not full, empty”), Middle Dutch wan (“empty, poor”), Old English wana (“want, lack, absence, deficiency”), Latin vanus (“empty”). See wan, wan-.
From Middle English wont (“mole”), from Old English wand, wond, from Proto-Germanic *wanduz.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
02. want for nothing
04. want to know
Grammar
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/want
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0