DictionaryAI

wish

WISH/wɪʃ/

Verbwishes, wishing, wished

Noun pluralwishes

7 meanings of wish

Practice

  1. 1
    verbintransitive
    To hope something will happen or be true, even if it probably won't.

    Like reaching for a star: your hand can never touch it, but you reach anyway.

    I wish it would stop raining so we could play outside.

    You can wish for a different past, but you can't change it.

    UsageSay I wish I had more time, with had. Say wish for before a thing.

    Similarhope, long, yearn, pray

    Note
  2. 2
    verbintransitive
    To want something or want to do something. A polite, formal way of saying 'want'.

    Do you wish to leave a message?

    Anyone who wishes to join the trip should sign up by Friday.

    UsageUse wish to plus a verb: Do you wish to leave a message?

    Similarwant, desire

  3. 3
    nouncountable
    Something you want or hope for, or the feeling of wanting it.

    Like feeling hungry, but for something you dream about instead of food.

    Her biggest wish is to see the ocean one day.

    After years away, his wish to come home grew stronger.

    UsageSay my wish came true.

    Similardesire, hope, longing, yearning, dream

  4. 4
    send kind wordsverb
    To send kind words or hopes to someone, like good luck or a happy birthday.

    We wished her good luck before the test.

    Don't forget to wish Grandpa a happy birthday!

    UsageSay wish someone good luck or a happy birthday.

    Note
  5. 5
    magic requestnouncountable
    Words you say or think to ask for something to happen, often as if by magic.

    She closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out the candles.

    The genie said he would grant three wishes.

    UsageSay make a wish, for example before blowing out candles.

    Similarprayer

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 6
    verbobsoletetransitive
    To speak for someone so that another person will trust or help them.
    I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.
    1610, Ben[jamin] Jonson, The AlchemistHere, wished means recommended to you.
    Farewell: yet for the loue I beare my sweet Bianca, if I can by any meanes light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.
    c. 1590, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”

    Similarrecommend, commend

    Note
  2. 7
    noundialectal
    A low, wet field next to a river or stream.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of wish apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English wȳsċan, meaning "to wish." It goes back to older Germanic and Indo-European roots.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts