Word
wish
US/ˈwɪʃ/
UK/wˈɪʃ/
Definitions
01to want the impossible
A2 · Elementary
v. to want something to be true or to happen, even though it is impossible or unlikely.
v. to desire a state of affairs that is contrary to fact or unlikely to occur; typically followed by a clause in the past tense or 'would'.
Español:desear
“I wish I could speak Italian so I could talk to my neighbors.”
“Many residents wish the city council would reconsider the demolition of the historic library before construction begins next month.”
Pitfall
I wish I am taller.
I wish I were taller.
When wishing for something that isn't true right now, use the past tense (or 'were' for the verb 'to be').
02to want to do something
B1 · Intermediate Formal
v. to want to do something or to have something happen.
v. to desire or request to perform an action; often used as a more formal alternative to 'want'.
“If you wish to leave the meeting early, please let us know.”
“The passengers who wish to upgrade to business class should proceed to the service desk before boarding commences.”
03to offer a greeting
A2 · Elementary
v. to say that you hope someone has a good day, a happy birthday, or success.
v. to express a hope or a greeting directed toward someone else; functions as a ditransitive verb.
“We wished him a happy birthday and gave him a small gift.”
“The outgoing president wished her successor the best of luck in navigating the complex economic challenges ahead.”
04a desire or hope
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a feeling that you want something to happen.
n. a desire, longing, or strong inclination for a specific outcome.
“It was his father's wish that he should study medicine at university.”
“The charity works tirelessly to fulfill the final wishes of children suffering from terminal illnesses.”
Synonyms
05a magical request
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a request for something to happen by magic, like when you blow out birthday candles.
n. an expression of desire often associated with supernatural intervention or ritualistic acts.
“Close your eyes, make a wish, and blow out the candles.”
“In the folk tale, the fisherman is granted a single wish by the golden fish he rescued from the net.”
Synonyms
Confusables
Hope describes a desire for a possible or likely future, while wish describes a desire for an impossible situation or something contrary to current reality.
RememberHope is for possibilities; wish is for fantasies.
Real-World Examples
“As Waters noted in 1993, "at the beginning of the recording sessions most of us didn't wish we were there at all".” “When my little brother was granted a wish from Make-A-Wish earlier this year, I wasn’t happy like my mom was, who doled out the news to me over the phone.” Etymology
From Middle English wisshen, wischen, wüschen, from Old English wȳsċan (“to wish”), from Proto-West Germanic wunskijan, from Proto-Germanic wunskijaną (“to wish”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to wish, love”). Cognate with Scots wis (“to wish”), Saterland Frisian wonskje (“to wish”), West Frisian winskje (“to wish”), Dutch wensen (“to wish”), German wünschen (“to wish”), Luxembourgish wënschen (“to wish”), Yiddish ווינטשן (vintshn, “to wish”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål ønske (“to wish”), Faroese ynskja (“to wish, to desire”), Icelandic æskja, óska (“to wish”), Norwegian Nynorsk ønskja, ønskje, ønska, ønske, ynskja, ynskje (“to wish, to desire”), Swedish önska (“to wish”). Via PIE cognate with Latin Venus, veneror (“venerate, honour, love”), English wonder.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Grammar
The word in film
Wish · 2023 · Fantasy
- Directed by:
- Fawn Veerasunthorn
Fawn Veerasunthorn directed this Disney animated musical about a young girl who makes a powerful plea to the stars. The story explores what happens when a magical request becomes real and helps a community fight against a selfish king.
- 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.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL 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: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/wish
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0