Thesaurus
want
noun
Synonyms and Antonyms of WANT
1
the fact or state of being absent <the proverb that begins, “for want of a nail, the shoe was lost”>
Related Words deficiency, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, undersupply; deprivation, loss, necessity, need, needfulness, omission; privation; blankness, emptiness, vacuity, vacuum, void
Near Antonyms abundance, amplitude, bounty, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, plenty, wealth; adequacy, sufficiency; excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus; deluge, flood; bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads, lot, mass, mountain, much, oodles, peck, pile, pot, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, volume, wad; fund, pool, stock, supply; cache, hoard, stash, stockpile
Antonyms presence
2
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number <there's a notable want of teachers in that rural school district>
Synonyms crunch, dearth, deficit, drought (also drouth), failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply, want
3
a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful <those children are in want of some good discipline>
Related Words deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency; dearth, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness; defect, minus; deprivation, famishment, privation; demand, essential, necessity, requirement, requisite
4
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions <grew up in extreme want>
Synonyms beggary, destituteness, destitution, impecuniosity, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, necessity, need, neediness, pauperism, penuriousness, penury, poorness, want
Related Words gutter, misery, woe, wretchedness; exigency; emergency, rainy day; austerity, deprivation, privation; bankruptcy, insolvency; belt-tightening, pinching, straitening
Near Antonyms luxury, prosperity
5
a defect in character <she's well-meaning and kind, but her besetting want is a complete lack of tact>
Related Words blot, spot, stain; blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit; Achilles' heel, soft spot; corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness
Near Antonyms excellence, perfection; goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness
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