wanting

1 of 2

adjective

want·​ing ˈwän-tiŋ 

1

: not present or in evidence : absent

2

a

: not being up to standards or expectations

b

: lacking in ability or capacity : deficient

wanting

2 of 2

preposition

1

: without

a book wanting a cover

2

: less, minus

a month wanting two days

Synonyms

Adjective

• bad
• bastard
• bush
• bush-league
• crummy
• crumby
• deficient
• dissatisfactory
• ill
• inferior
• lame
• lousy
• off
• paltry
• poor
• punk
• sour
• suboptimal
• subpar
• substandard
• unacceptable
• unsatisfactory
• wack [slang]
• wretched
• wrong

Preposition

• absent
• minus
• sans
• without

Examples of wanting in a Sentence

Adjective

we tried her cooking and found it to be very wanting

at this time of year food for many wild animals is wanting

Preposition

a mitten wanting its mate

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Verdon demanded much of herself and of others, in her relationships, in her work, and Williams captured that hunger, along with the vulnerability that so much wanting lays bare. —Susan Dominus Susan Dominus Photographs By Luis Alberto Rodriguez Styled By Charlotte Collet Nick Haramis Photographs By Lise Sarfati Styled By Suzanne Koller Sasha Weiss Photographs By Justin French Adam Bradley Photographs By D’angelo Lovell Williams Styled By Ian Bradley, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2022

Maybe our poor and wanting selves are our only authentic ones, and all others performances of convenience or necessity. —Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, 5 May 2022

Don’t let your husband convince you that being needy and wanting affection are the same thing. —Annie Lane, oregonlive, 19 Nov. 2021

Lucero really has nowhere else to go but up after a subpar performance against a wanting pass defense and has the talent and poise to lead the offense in Tyler Johnston’s absence. —Evan Dudley, al, 29 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wanting

• found wanting

Kids Definition

wanting

1 of 2 adjective

want·​ing

1

: not present or noticeable : absent, lacking

2

a

: falling below standards or expectations

b

: lacking in ability : deficient

wanting

2 of 2 preposition

1

: without entry 1 sense 2a

a book wanting a cover

2

: minus entry 1 sense 1

a month wanting two days