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Wishing vs Wanting - What's the difference?

wishing | wanting |

As verbs the difference between wishing and wanting

is that wishing is while wanting is .

As nouns the difference between wishing and wanting

is that wishing is the act of making a wish while wanting is the state of wanting something; desire.

As an adjective wanting is

absent or lacking.

As a preposition wanting is

without.

wishing

English

Verb

(head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of making a wish.
  • * 1852 , Chambers's Papers for the People (volumes 9-10, page 167)
    • Discourse there was none; only exclamations and interjections, and wishings , wishings, wishings that Bessy were but his own for ever — his dear, dear little wife, as assuredly one day she should be!

    wanting

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Absent or lacking.
  • * 1813 , Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice , Modern Library Edition (1995), page 171,
    • but where other powers of entertainment are wanting , the true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given.

    Derived terms

    * wantingly

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • without

    • Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The state of wanting something; desire.