Wish and Want are two words that are often confused as words that give the same meaning. Strictly speaking there is a difference in the usage of wish and want. A wish refers to ‘desire’ as in the sentence ‘I wish to go out for a walk now’. On the other hand, a want refers to ‘need’ or something that is related to the psychology of a person. It is thus termed as psychological want. Want refers to physical needs such as shelter and clothing. On the other hand, wish is used in the sense of request too as in the sentence ‘It is my wish’. In this sentence, the use of the word ‘wish’ suggests the sense of ‘request’.
Key Takeaways
- A wish refers to ‘desire’, while a want refers to ‘need’ or something that is related to the psychology of a person.
- Want refers to physical needs, while wish is also used in the sense of request.
- The verb ‘wish’ is often followed by the preposition ‘for’, whereas the verb ‘want’ is often followed by the preposition ‘to’.
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