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want ad

want ad

9 2.9
An ad in a newspaper asking for things like jobs or items
  • noun
  • /ˈwɑnt æd/
  • US
translation icon : anuncio clasificado
  • If you look in most newspapers' want ads, you will see ads from couples who desperately want to adopt.
  • help-wanted ad
  • want ads in the newspaper
  • answer the want ad

So I got out the Waukesha Free Women and I started looking in the want ad section where jobs were being advertised.

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Examples

  • I was sipping coffee and browsing the "Heavy Industrial" section of the want ads on Sunday when I saw an ad for "Die Repair Trainee."

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I should be looking in the want ads for a job.

  • Put a want ad in the paper.

  • Would you like to add this to the want ads?

  • See anything in the want ads?

  • I flip through the paper to the want ads.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Now that I'm broke, I'd better start checking the want ads for a job.

  • You hired me from a want ad in the Dakota Penny Ledger.

  • At her house, I looked in the want ads and saw that TWA was hiring stewardesses.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • I found a new job by checking the want ad section of the local newspaper.

Synonyms

ad
vswant ad
1.0

A short message that tries to get people to buy something or support an idea

is a short request for a wanted item or service rather than promotion
AD
vswant ad
640 2.2

A paid message that tells people about a product or service

is a small newspaper request for something needed rather than sponsored material
advertisement
vswant ad
148 1.8

A message, like on TV or a poster, that tries to make people buy something

focuses on requesting something needed rather than persuading buyers
classified
vswant ad
18 4.1

A small ad in a newspaper that offers things for sale or looks for people

is used to seek items or work, not only to sell
advert
vswant ad
  • UK
15 2.2

A short message that tells people about a product, service, or event

serves to request goods or services rather than promote them
newspaper ad
vswant ad
9 1.0

A short message printed in a newspaper that tells people about things for sale or jobs

is used specifically to request items, jobs, or services
classified ad
vswant ad
8 2.3

A short notice in a newspaper or magazine where people sell items and offer services

asks for items, jobs, or services instead of offering them
1 1.4

A printed message in a newspaper that tells people about jobs or things for sale

is used when someone seeks something rather than promotes it
1 3.0

A small notice in a newspaper section that offers things or jobs

asks for something needed rather than offering it
adv
vswant ad
  • Informal
8.9

A short notice that offers something for sale in newspapers or online

is the full request phrased as a seeker notice rather than abbreviation
advertizement
vswant ad
  • US
1.4

A public message that tries to sell a product or service

is used to state a need or request rather than promote

How Detailed

advertisement
148 1.8
want ad
  • US
9 2.9

Surface Forms

want ad singular
want ads plural

Morphology

want + ad

The meaning 'an advertisement stating something that is wanted' is directly derivable from combining 'want' (a desire or something sought) with 'ad' (advertisement); a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes an advertisement seeking or offering something. This clipped compound follows a common and compositional pattern (akin to 'wanted ad') and is cross-linguistically transparent, so it should be understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrase want ad comes from old newspapers where people put short notices about things they needed. The name mixes want (what someone 'wants') and ad (short for 'advertisement'), so a want ad is a small ad saying someone is looking for or offering a job, item, or service.