wished; wishing; wishes
1
: to have a desire for (something, such as something unattainable)
wished he could live his life over
2
: to give expression to as a wish : bid
wish them good night
3
a
: to give form to (a wish)
b
: to express a wish for
c
: to request in the form of a wish : order
d
: to desire (a person or thing) to be as specified
cannot wish our problems away
4
: to confer (something unwanted) on someone : foist
1
: to have a desire : want
wishing for more
2
: to make a wish
wish on a falling star
wisher
noun
Examples of wish in a Sentence
Verb
You may use the telephone, if you wish.
She wished them a happy New Year.
We wish you a Merry Christmas.
Noun
He has a wish to be reunited with his son.
The genie will grant you three wishes.
Send her my good wishes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
Some will wish this was possible when drum dynamo Mark Guiliana performs Friday night at UC San Diego at almost exactly the same time Luciana Souza sings at the nearby Athenaeum.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wish 
Verb
All of the festivals wished her rest and recovery on social media.
—Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
Some will wish this was possible when drum dynamo Mark Guiliana performs Friday night at UC San Diego at almost exactly the same time Luciana Souza sings at the nearby Athenaeum.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wish
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wish
Cite this Entry
“Wish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wish. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wish
2 of 2 noun1
a
: an act or instance of wishing or desire
a wish to travel
b
: an object of desire : goal
I got my wish—a good score on the test
2
: a wishing of good fortune
sends her best wishes
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