Desire Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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desire
de-sire
Definitions
strong feeling
A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.
Synonyms
craving, longing, wish, yearning.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| desire |
Formal or neutral situations, often used in a broad range of contexts including professional settings, relationships, and personal aspirations.
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| wish |
Neutral and general situations, often involving something one would like to happen or something hypothetical. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
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| craving |
Informal situations, used to describe an intense and often immediate want for something, usually related to food or addictive substances.
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| longing |
Situations involving deep and often melancholic emotions, typically related to something out of reach or in the past.
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| yearning |
Situations involving strong, often persistent desires, typically emotional or existential in nature. It can have a somewhat poetic or old-fashioned tone.
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Examples of usage
- I have a strong desire to travel the world.
- She felt a burning desire to succeed in her career.
- He couldn't resist the desire to eat the delicious cake.
- We all have desires and dreams that motivate us.
want strongly
To strongly wish for or want something.
Synonyms
crave, long for, want, yearn for.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| desire |
Used in a formal or literary context to express a strong feeling of wanting something. Often used for deep or important wishes.
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| crave |
Often used to express a strong physical or emotional need for something, especially when it's intense or insatiable. Commonly used in the context of food or addictions.
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| long for |
Used in a poetic or emotional context to express a deep, enduring longing or nostalgia for something, often something that is far away or unattainable.
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| yearn for |
Used to express an intense, often melancholic longing for something, similar to 'long for', but can have a slightly stronger emotional intensity. Often used in romantic or nostalgic contexts.
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| want |
A common and straightforward way to express a desire for something. Used in both formal and informal contexts.
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Examples of usage
- She desires a peaceful life away from the city.
- He desires to be the best in his field of expertise.
- They desire to make a positive impact on society.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Quick facts about “desire”
Desire is a 2-syllable noun and verb (de-sire). It is pronounced /dɪˈzaɪɝ/ in American English and /dɪzˈaɪə/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 8 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #1,027 among the most common English words.
Origin of 'desire'
The word 'desire' originated from the Latin word 'desiderare', which means 'long for, wish for'. Over time, the term evolved to represent a strong feeling of wanting or wishing for something. The concept of desire has been explored in various philosophical and psychological contexts, highlighting its role in human motivation and decision-making processes.