Difference Between Wishes & Desires

Wish and Desire are two words in the English language that are often confused. They appear to have similar meanings, but there is some difference between the two words. Wish is often accompanied by an aspiration for something, as in the expression ‘wish for happiness’. The word ‘wish’ is sometimes followed by ‘that’, which can at times be omitted as well. The word ‘desire’ is used in the sense of ‘an unsatisfied longing or craving’, as in the expression ‘desire for wealth’. One of the main differences between the words ‘wish’ and ‘desire’ is that the quality of ‘craving’ is not found in ‘wish’, whereas the word ‘desire’ is always accompanied by the quality of ‘craving’ in its sense.

Key Takeaways

• Wish is often accompanied by an aspiration for something, while desire implies an unsatisfied longing or craving.
• The quality of ‘craving’ is not found in ‘wish’, but is always present in the meaning of ‘desire’.
• Both words are often followed by prepositions like ‘for’, ‘to’, or ‘that’, but they should be used with care and purpose to convey the intended meaning.