It's because you don't want to be alone.
Source: tatoeba (1301)
Want
/wɒnt/
Synonyms for "want" (300 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (60)
Strong matches (90)
Noun(6 words)
declinedefalcationdefaultdefectdefectibilitydefectivenessdeficiencydeficitdemanddemand fordeprivationdesideratedesiderationdesideratumdesiredestitutiondiscontinuitydrivedroughteagerness
Show 53 more words
empty purseenvyerroneousnessessentialessentialsexactexigencyexiguousnessexpectexpectationfailfail offall awayfall shortfall shyfallibilityfaminefancyfantasyfaultinessfavorfeelfollowgapgo on welfaregrinding povertygripehand-to-mouth existencehankerhardshiphave a mind tohave designs onhave nothing onhave occasion forhiatushomelessnesshopehormeimmaturityimpairmentimpecuniousnessimperfectionimpoverishmentimpurityinaccuracyinadequacyinadequatenessincompletenessindigenceindispensableinexactitudeinexactnessinsufficiency
Adjective(2 words)
desiredfancy claim
Related words (150)
intellectual curiosityintervalitchitch tokick the beamlacklacunalaglibidolikelike tolonglong tolose groundlovelove tolustlust afterlust for learningmeagerness
Show 103 more words
meanmediocritymendicancymindmissmissing linkmoneylessnessmustmust itemnecessariesnecessitiesnecessitousnessnecessityneedneed forneed toneedinessnevernessnonexistencenonoccurrencenonpresencenot answernot approachnot come nearnot comparenot hack itnot make itnot make outnot measure upnot qualifynot stretchnot sufficenowherenessoccasionomissionoughtoutagepantpassionpatchinesspauperismpauperizationpenurypinchplay second fiddlepleasepleasurepleasure principlepoorpoornesspovertypreferprerequireprerequirementprerequisiteprivationrank underrequirerequirementrequisiterequisitionrun shortrun short ofscantinessscarcityservesexual desireshortageshortcomingshortfallshouldsketchinessskimpinessslumpstarvationstarvestop shortsubservesubtractiontake doingtake tothe necessarythe needfulthirst for knowledgeullageundevelopmentunevennessunperfectednessunsoundnessurgewant doingwant towantagewantingwaywillwill and pleasurewishwish fulfillmentwish towish to goodnesswish very muchwould fain do
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: deficiency, desire, lack, need, wish.
- crave: 'Crave' is want amplified by intensity and often by lack, you crave what you've been denied or what you cannot easily have.
- Sentence evidence is available for want, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "want".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "want"
Keep "want" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "want" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "want", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "want" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
How these synonyms differ
- crave - 'Crave' is want amplified by intensity and often by lack, you crave what you've been denied or what you cannot easily have.
- desire - 'Desire' is deeper and more urgent, it implies a pull you feel emotionally or physically, not just a preference.
- wish - 'Wish' is gentler and more passive, you wish for things you may not pursue, while wanting usually implies you'd act if you could.
- yearn - 'Yearn' is want laced with aching emotion, a deep, persistent longing for something distant, lost, or seemingly unattainable.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
29 entriesbedearthdeficiencydemanddesireemotional stateessentialexistexperiencefeelimpoverishmentlacklook formissmotivation
Showing 16 of 29 words.
More specific
16 entriesCollocations
12 entriesconsumer wantsdataeconomic wantsevidencefundinghuman wantslatent wantparticipantsreplicationresourcesunmet wantwants and needs
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
59 total sentences available.
I don't want to be lame; I want to be cool!!
Source: tatoeba (1336)
When I grow up, I want to be a king.
Source: tatoeba (1337)
I don't want to lose my ideas, even though some of them are a bit extreme.
Source: tatoeba (1377)
Showing 4 of 59 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "want"?
Closest matches include deficiency, desire, lack, need, wish.
How is "crave" different from "want"?
'Crave' is want amplified by intensity and often by lack, you crave what you've been denied or what you cannot easily have.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "want"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.