wish

[ wish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to want; desire; long for (usually followed by an infinitive or a clause):

   I wish to travel.

   I wish that it were morning.

   Synonyms: crave

2. to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified):

   to wish the problem settled.

3. to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for:

   to wish someone well;

   to wish someone ill.

4. to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking:

   to wish someone a good morning.

5. to request or charge:

   I wish him to come.

   Synonyms: order, direct

verb (used without object)

1. to desire; long; yearn (often followed by for ):

   Mother says I may go if I wish.

   I wished for a book.

2. to make a wish:

   She wished more than she worked.

noun

1. an act or instance of wishing.
2. a request or command:

   I was never forgiven for disregarding my father's wishes.

   Synonyms: want, will, desire

3. an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature:

   to send one's best wishes.

4. something wished or desired:

   He got his wish—a new car.

verb phrase

1. 1. to force or impose (usually used in the negative):

      I wouldn't wish that awful job on my worst enemy.

   2. Also wish upon. to make a wish using some object as a magical talisman:

      to wish on a star.

wish

/ wɪʃ /

verb

1. whentr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive; when intr, often foll by for to want or desire (something, often that which cannot be or is not the case)

   to wish for peace

   I wish I lived in Italy

2. tr to feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of

   I wish you well

3. tr to desire or prefer to be as specified
4. tr to greet as specified; bid

   he wished us good afternoon

5. formal.
   tr to order politely

   I wish you to come at three o'clock

noun

1. the act of wishing; the expression of some desire or mental inclination

   to make a wish

2. something desired or wished for

   he got his wish

3. usually plural expressed hopes or desire, esp for someone's welfare, health, etc
4. formal.
   often plural a polite order or request

Derived Forms

• ˈwishless, adjective
• ˈwisher, noun

Other Words From

• wisher noun
• wishless adjective
• inter·wish verb (used with object) noun
• outwish verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wish¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wishen, Old English wȳscan; cognate with German wünschen, Old Norse æskja; akin to Old English wynn “joy” ( winsome ), Latin venus “charm” ( Venus ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wish¹

Old English wӯscan; related to Old Norse öskja, German wünschen, Dutch wenschen

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with wish , also see if wishes were horses .

Example Sentences

Ms Allen-Wyatt is seen as an influential figure in Welsh women's football and has regularly spoken about her wish to inspire younger players.

From BBC

What binds them together is a belief that women are objects, to be used however the men who own them wish.

From Salon

Swinney sent a letter to Trump after his victory saying he wanted both countries to have a good relationship and wished him well.

From BBC

Cronin intimated that there could be even fewer notable nonconference games in future seasons if the Big Ten’s television partners get their wish to expand conference schedules from 20 to 22 games.

From Los Angeles Times

If Kennedy wishes to increase such funding, that’s all to the good.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aspire
• choose
• crave
• envy
• please
• prefer
• want
• yearn

When To Use

What are other ways to say wish?

To wish is to want or long for something. How is wish different from desire and want? Find out on Thesaurus.com.