WANTED

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does wanted mean? 

• WANTED (adjective)
  The adjective WANTED has 2 senses:

1. desired or wished for or sought

2. characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

  Familiarity information: WANTED used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WANTED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Desired or wished for or sought

Context example:

a wanted poster

Similar:

craved; desired (wanted intensely)

hot (wanted by the police)

longed-for; wished-for; yearned-for (greatly desired)

sought; sought-after (being searched for)

Also:

desirable (worth having or seeking or achieving)

loved (held dear)

welcome (giving pleasure or satisfaction or received with pleasure or freely granted)

Antonym:

unwanted (not wanted; not needed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

Synonyms:

cherished; precious; treasured; wanted

Context example:

so good to feel wanted

Similar:

loved (held dear)

 Context examples 

She wanted to see where the crime was done—had read about it in the papers, she said.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I only wanted to look at her.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Edmund proposed, urged, entreated it, till the lady, not very unwilling at first, could refuse no longer, and Fanny was wanted only to prompt and observe them.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He wanted her to sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use her money.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And she only wanted to know how far, after what had passed, an apology might properly be received by her.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She wanted it to be prescribed, and felt as a duty.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I then made another sign, that I wanted drink.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

You wanted to write about life when you knew nothing of the essential characteristics of life.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I wanted to know a little more, and this tells me quite enough.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I wanted to feel the thoughts whose force he seemed breasting and resisting.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)