desire

desire — verb

1. to want something very much, feeling a deep need or wish for it to happen or to

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to want something very much, feeling a deep need or wish for it to happen or to be yours — stronger and more formal than the ordinary verb 'want'

Example

After years abroad, Takeshi desired nothing more than to return to his hometown.

desire nothing more than + to-infinitive

The elderly painter desired recognition for her work, though she rarely showed it.

desire + noun phrase (abstract goal)

Common collocations
  • desire change
  • desire success
  • desire freedom
  • desire an outcome
  • desire recognition
Synonyms
  • want

    neutral and far more common in everyday speech; weaker intensity

  • wish for

    similar formality but more hopeful and less urgent in tone

  • crave

    stronger and more urgent, often suggesting a physical or emotional need

  • long for

    more emotional and wistful, suggesting something distant or unattainable

Antonyms
  • reject

    to refuse or push away instead of wanting

  • disdain

    to look down on something as unworthy

Grammar Patterns

desire + noun phrase

desire + to-infinitive

desire + that-clause

Usage Note

More formal and carries stronger emotional weight than the everyday verb 'want'. Common in literary, academic, and formal written contexts but rarely used in casual conversation to refer to simple needs.

Common Mistakes

I desire a cup of tea.
I would like / want a cup of tea.
'desire' sounds too formal and dramatic for everyday minor wants.
She desired going to the concert.
She desired to go to the concert.
'desire' takes a to-infinitive, not a gerund.

2. to feel a strong physical or romantic pull toward someone, wanting to be intimat

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to feel a strong physical or romantic pull toward someone, wanting to be intimate with them

Example

Henry desired his partner deeply, and their connection grew stronger each year.

desire + person (intimate relationship)

Noor knew from the way he looked at her that he still desired her.

Common collocations
  • desire someone deeply
  • desire someone passionately
  • secretly desire someone
Synonyms
  • fancy

    British, informal, and much lighter in tone

  • lust after

    stronger, more physical, and often has a negative or crude connotation

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

desire + person

Usage Note

The direct object is always a person. Frequently appears in literary, poetic, and romantic contexts. Less direct and more refined in tone than synonyms like 'lust after'.

Common Mistakes

He desired her body.
He desired her.
specifying a body part sounds objectifying and unnatural; the object should be the whole person.

desire — noun

Word family

  • desirable
    adjectiveB2
  • desirability
    nounC1
  • desirous
    adjectiveC1
  • undesirable
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe wanting something, but they differ in intensity and tone. 'Desire' is the broadest and most formal, covering everything from a casual wish to an urgent need — 'the desire for a better life' feels natural, while 'a desire for a cup of tea' sounds too grand. 'Wish' is the lightest and most versatile; you can wish for anything from good weather to world peace without sounding dramatic. 'Longing' adds a layer of emotional ache, often for something distant or unattainable — 'a longing for her homeland' suggests sadness and nostalgia. 'Craving' is sharper and more physical, used for specific appetites like 'a craving for chocolate' or 'a craving for adventure.' 'Yearning' is the most poetic and tender, carrying a sense of gentle but persistent ache, as in 'a yearning for the innocence of childhood.' In everyday writing, 'desire' and 'wish' work for general use, while 'longing,' 'craving,' and 'yearning' add emotional colour to more personal or literary passages.

desire ↗wish ↗longingcravingyearning

Common collocations

Nouns

  • object of desire
  • feeling of desire
  • sense of desire

Adverbs

  • deeply desired
  • greatly desired
  • intensely desired
  • sincerely desired
  • passionately desired

Phrases

  • burning desire
  • overwhelming desire
  • strong desire
  • deep desire
  • genuine desire
  • mutual desire

Prepositions

  • desire for

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'desire' entered English through Old French 'desirer', which came from Latin 'desiderare' — a verb meaning 'to long for, to miss, or to feel the absence of'. Some scholars connect 'desiderare' to 'sidus' (a star or constellation), suggesting an ancient image of waiting for what the stars might bring. Over centuries, the meaning shifted from 'feeling the lack of something' to the modern sense of 'actively wanting something'. The noun form appeared in English around the same period, carrying the same core meaning of strong wish or longing.