Desire
Desire noun - A strong wish for something.
Usage example: a desire for adventure and excitement prompted him to travel to Africa
Need is a synonym for desire in feeling topic. In some cases you can use "Need" instead the word "Desire" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like wish, long for, want, yearning.
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| burning | burning desire | burning need |
| human | human desire | human need |
| particular | particular desire | particular need |
| natural | natural desire | natural need |
| Other adjectives: true, genuine, deep, selfish, strong, actual, real, constant, extreme, great, intense, little, personal, secret, desperate, apparent, overwhelming, greater, greatest, insatiable, obsessive, sudden. | ||
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- The boss may not need or desire this, of course... but if they're a Control Freak, a Neidermeyer, or a Pointy-Haired Boss, you can be sure they'll have or want a Yes Man.
Source: Yes-Man -
Persona 3 FES during "The Answer" there is a door in the dorm which opens to what ever they truly need/desire at that time.
Source: Portal Door -
And in general, while the post-Endor slate has been wiped clean, there also seems to be less need or desire to retcon Prequel-era material.
Cite this Source
Need and Desire. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/desire/need
Desire & Need. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/desire/need>.
Need or Desire. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/desire/need.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "desire" and "need" have occurred on timeline