Wished-for
What it means
Long desired and warmly welcomed when it finally appears.
Reach for it when describing an arrival or outcome whose earlier hope matters to the sentence
The wished-for rain reached the young orchard before the wells failed.
Words to choose between 7
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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playful
dreamed-of
Fits when imagination and aspiration give the outcome scale
Careful Dreamed-of can sound unrealistic or promotional.
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everyday
Fits when the positive reception matters more than prior longing
Careful A welcome event may be an unanticipated surprise.
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warm
hoped-for
Fits when optimism rather than certainty sustained expectation
Careful Hoped-for is more tentative than a deeply wished-for outcome.
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warm
Fits when delay and anticipation are central
Careful Long-awaited can describe a feared report as well as a desired event.
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professional
desired
Fits when preference should be stated neutrally
Careful Desired lacks the emotional history and eventual welcome of wished-for.
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formal
coveted
Fits when many people strongly desire a scarce prize
Careful Coveted can suggest status, envy, or possession rather than a wholesome hope.
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literary
Fits when prolonged, emotionally intense longing is genuine
Careful Yearned-for overstates a modest practical preference.
Opposites 3
- unwanted
- dreaded
- unwelcome
Common phrases 3
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wished-for child
The wished-for child arrived after years of uncertainty and care.
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wished-for outcome
The agreement produced the wished-for outcome without silencing either side.
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long wished-for
A long wished-for footbridge finally connected the two neighborhoods.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated