de·sire
di-ˈzī(-ə)r 
dē-
desired; desiring
1
: to long or hope for : exhibit or feel desire for
desire success
knew that men still desired her
2
3
obsolete
: invite
4
archaic
: to feel the loss of
: to have or feel desire
They may come if they so desire.
1
: conscious impulse (see impulse entry 1 sense 1) toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment
ridding oneself of all desires
how humans process desire
2
3
: something longed or hoped for : something desired
You are my heart's desire.
4
: a usually formal request or petition for some action
at the desire of one fifth of those present—
U.S. Constitution
U.S. ConstitutionSynonyms
Examples of desire in a Sentence
Verb
He desired her approval more than anything.
The apartment has modern amenities, a great location—everything you could desire.
She knew that men still desired her.
Noun
Desire is a common theme in music and literature.
The magazine tries to attend to the needs and desires of its readers.
Both sides feel a real desire for peace.
His decisions are guided by his desire for land.
They expressed a desire to go with us.
They have a desire to have children.
a strong desire to travel around the world
He was overcome with desire for her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 6 Nov. 2024
And yet we are left with a binary choice that, perhaps, leaves something to be desired.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Josh Becker, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
This innate desire for connection, however, combined with people’s reliance on technology, can lead to feelings of FOMO– fear of missing out – and anxiety during a digital detox.
—Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desire 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Meanwhile, place bread in toaster and toast to desired darkness.
—Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 6 Nov. 2024
And yet we are left with a binary choice that, perhaps, leaves something to be desired.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
History shows us what can happen when the desire for political control meets the vulnerability of immigrant communities.
—Josh Becker, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
This innate desire for connection, however, combined with people’s reliance on technology, can lead to feelings of FOMO– fear of missing out – and anxiety during a digital detox.
—Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desire
Dictionary Entries Near desire
Cite this Entry
“Desire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desire. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desire
1 of 2 verb
de·sire
di-ˈzī(ə)r
desired; desiring
1
: to long for : wish earnestly
desire wealth
desire peace
2
: to call for : express a wish for : request
the librarian desires us to return all overdue books
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