# want

> English word · Verb · IPA /wɒnt/ · frequency rank #96

## Definitions
1. To wish for or desire (something); to feel a need or desire for; to crave, hanker, or demand.
2. To wish for or desire (something); to feel a need or desire for; to crave, hanker, or demand.
3. To wish, desire, or demand to see, have the presence of or do business with.
4. To desire (to experience desire); to wish.
5. To be advised to do something (compare should, ought).
6. To lack and be in need of or require (something, such as a noun or verbal noun).
7. To have occasion for (something requisite or useful); to require or need.
8. To be lacking or deficient or absent.
9. To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack.
10. To lack and be without, to not have (something).
11. To lack and perhaps be able or willing to do without.
12. To desire a romantic or (especially) sexual relationship with someone; to lust for.

## Etymology
From Middle English wanten (“to lack, to need”), from Old Norse vanta (“to lack”), from Proto-Germanic *wanatōną (“to be wanting, lack”), from *wanô (“lack, deficiency”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”). Cognate with Middle High German wan (“not full, empty”), Middle Dutch wan (“empty, poor”), Old English wana (“want, lack, absence, deficiency”), Latin vanus (“empty”). See wan, wan-.

## Easily confused with
- **wt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wt)
- **was** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-was)
- **way** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-way)
- **war** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-war)
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-win)
- **won** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-won)
- **wet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wet)
- **wit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wit)
- **wax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wax)
- **wen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wen)
- **wat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wat)
- **wot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wot)
- **wut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wut)
- **WAP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wap)
- **WAV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wav)
- **what** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-what)
- **went** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-went)
- **west** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-west)
- **ways** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-ways)
- **wind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wind)

## Common misspellings (6)
`awnt`, `wannt`, `wantt`, `watn`, `wnat`, `wwant`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/want