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Glite Dictionary
🚨 Sought after 🤗 Loved or valued
wanted

wanted

86 1.0
A person or thing many people are looking for
  • adjective
  • /ˈwɑːntɪd/
: deseado
  • The stray dog was finally adopted, as it was a wanted companion for many families.
  • WANTED poster

Examples

  • This is what I've wanted, one of these back.

  • Her skills were wanted by several companies looking for a graphic designer.

  • After years of searching, they found the wanted book that had been out of print.

Synonyms

wished-for
vswanted
156 4.2

Wanted very much and hoped for

is the general term not stressing expectation or positive outcome
hoped-for
vswanted
152 3.5

Wanted or expected because people want a good result

is the neutral term for any preference or necessary need
desired
vswanted
97 2.5

Something that people want very much

is more general, covering need, simple preference, or casual interest
longed-for
vswanted
65 5.5

A thing people want and hope for after many years

is broader, not limited to extended waiting or intense feeling
coveted
vswanted
48 4.4

Wanted by many people because it is rare or special

is more general, not stressing popularity or social competition
yearned-for
vswanted
46 6.0

Wanted very much for a long time

is more neutral, covering general need or simple preference
sought
vswanted
31 3.9

Wanted by many people because it is useful

is the neutral concept covering any preference or necessary need
sought after
vswanted
30 4.1

Wanted by many people

is a general label not limited to popularity or commercial demand
sought-after
vswanted
12 4.1

Wanted by many people and hard to find

is the broad term covering need or casual preference too
craved
vswanted
1 3.9

Having a very strong desire for something

is more general, covering ordinary needs or casual preferences

Antonyms

unwanted
124 1.0

People do not like or need it

unneeded
7 2.3

Not necessary or useful in a situation

Compounds

wanted list
23 3.6

A list of people or things someone is looking for

wanted poster
  • Formal
13 3.9

A public notice with a photo and details of a person police are looking for

wanted notice
  • Formal
1 5.8

A public message from the police asking people to help find a person for questioning or arrest

International Wanted Notice
  • Formal
1 7.6

An official Interpol notice that asks countries to arrest and send back a person accused of a crime

How Desired

sought-after
12 4.1
coveted
48 4.4
desired
97 2.5
wanted
86 1.0

Surface Forms

wanted positive

Morphology

wanted = want (transparent) = want + ed

A regular adjectival use of the past participle 'want' + '-ed' meaning 'sought after' which learners can derive directly.

Etymology

Wanted comes from the old verb want, which once meant 'to lack' or 'need' and is related to an old Norse word vanta. So a 'wanted' thing or person is one people 'need' or are 'looking for', which is why police put a person on a 'wanted' list when they try to find them.