► wisha feeling that you want to do or have something, or the thing that you want to do or have: It’s important to respect the patient’s wishes (=do what they want). Ken finally got his wish to live in the country.
► desire formal a strong feeling of wanting something or wanting to do something: Many employees have expressed a desire for better training materials.
► craving a very strong feeling that you want something, usually a particular type of food, drink, or drug: Sometimes pregnant women have cravings for unusual foods.
► inclination formal a feeling that makes you want to do something: When I heard the explosion, my natural inclination was to run.
► longing a very strong feeling of wanting someone or something that is difficult or impossible to have: She was filled with longing for her family, whom she hadn’t seen in five years.
► yearning a longing. Used mainly in literature and poetry: His yearning for the princess grew stronger each day.
► wants things that you want but do not have: You must learn to distinguish between your wants and needs.