Desire means to want something strongly, with a powerful pull toward something you really care about. When you desire something, you feel drawn to it: maybe you desire to make the basketball team, to visit the Grand Canyon, or to master a difficult piano piece.

The word captures that feeling of longing for something you don't yet have. A student might desire better grades and feel motivated to study harder. An inventor might desire to solve a problem that's been frustrating people for years. Unlike a passing wish, desire often drives people to take action and work toward what they want.

You can desire things both big and small. You might desire a slice of pizza for lunch or desire to become a marine biologist someday. The intensity varies, but the word always suggests genuine wanting, not just idle curiosity.

The word can also be used as a noun: “Her desire to help others led her to volunteer at the animal shelter.”