The difference between Need and Want

When used as nouns, need means a for something, whereas want means a desire, wish, longing.

When used as verbs, need means to have an absolute requirement for, whereas want means to wish for or to desire (something).


check bellow for the other definitions of Need and Want

  1. Need as a noun (countable, and, uncountable):

    A for something; something .

    Examples:

    "There's no need to speculate; we can easily find out for sure."

    "She grew irritated with his constant need for attention."

    "Our needs are not being met."

    "I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter."

  2. Need as a noun:

    Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.

  1. Need as a verb (transitive):

    To have an absolute requirement for.

    Examples:

    "Living things need water to survive."

  2. Need as a verb (transitive):

    To want strongly; to feel that one must have something.

    Examples:

    "After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave."

  3. Need as a verb (modal verb):

    To be obliged or required (to do something).

    Examples:

    "You need not go if you don't want to."

  4. Need as a verb (intransitive):

    To be required; to be necessary.

  5. Need as a verb (obsolete, transitive):

    To be necessary (to someone).

  1. Want as a verb (transitive):

    To wish for or to desire (something).

    Examples:

    "What do you want to eat?  I want you to leave.  I never wanted to go back to live with my mother.  I want to be an astronaut when I'm older.  I don't want him to marry Gloria, I want him to marry me!  What do you want from me?  Do you want anything from the shops?"

  2. Want as a verb (intransitive, now, dated):

    To be lacking or deficient; not to exist.

    Examples:

    "There was something wanting in the play."

  3. Want as a verb (transitive):

    To lack, not to have (something).

  4. Want as a verb (colloquial, usually second person, often future tense):

    should; to be advised to do something

    Examples:

    "You’ll want to repeat this three or four times to get the best result."

  5. Want as a verb (transitive, colloquial, with [[verbal noun]] as object):

    To be in need of; to require (something).

    Examples:

    "That chair wants fixing."

  6. Want as a verb (intransitive, dated):

    To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack.

  1. Want as a noun (countable):

    A desire, wish, longing.

  2. Want as a noun (countable, often, followed by {{m, of):

    }} Lack, absence.

  3. Want as a noun (uncountable):

    Poverty.

  4. Want as a noun:

    Something needed or desired; a thing of which the loss is felt.

  5. Want as a noun (UK, mining):

    A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place.

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