harbor desires

USAGE SUMMARY

"harbor desires" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to have or hold onto strong desires or wishes. It is often used in a figurative sense to describe someone who is deeply longing for something. Example: Despite his successful career, John still harbors desires of traveling the world and experiencing different cultures.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Furthermore, we have few illusions that were we to agree to all present Palestinian Authority territorial demands (which I often want us to do), our legitimate rights as Jews to Israel would still be denied by the Palestinian Authority, and much of Islam would still harbor desires to rid us Jews from Islam's heartland.

The New York Times

That triggered my fascination, and I started to harbor desires to grow powerful and unify the nation like he did.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Most Chinese Students Plan to Stay in the U.S. Regardless of where they undertake graduate studies, a high proportion of Chinese students still harbor strong desires to live and work in the U.S. (see figure 2).

Science Magazine

So yes, I do still harbor these desires, and I specifically want to eat a Japanese woman this time.

Vice

But I did harbor this desire to make my own film".

The New York Times

She, like many black people I know, has every reason to remember with bitterness and to harbor a desire for revenge.

The New York Times

Not every parent wants to be a Tiger Mom, but many parents harbor the desire to raise a virtuoso cellist, or at the very least, children who can distinguish between their Vivaldi and their Verdi.

The New York Times - Books

Unlike most students who harbor the desire to write a play, Butterworth, who followed Tom to Cambridge, sat down and wrote one, a surreal adaptation of a 1961 recipe book by Katharine Whitehorn called "Cooking in a Bedsitter"; he and Tom turned it into a black comedy about student alienation and took it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The New Yorker

Like parvenus throughout history, Kuhne adds, these burgeoning power centers harbor "a desire to be seen as relevant, as 'modern', as shockingly new.

Forbes

(Yeah, Well) We must not become bitter (Yeah, That's right), nor must we harbor the desire to retaliate with violence.

Huffington Post

A lot of Freud's ideas about sex are uncomfortable, to say the least, but perhaps none more so than his claim that we secretly harbor sexual desire for our parents—something he termed the Oedipus Complex in boys and the Electra Complex in girls.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "harbor desires" to convey a sense of deep-seated or carefully guarded longings, particularly when discussing personal motivations or hidden ambitions.

Common error

Avoid using "harbor desires" when a simpler term like "have wishes" would suffice. The phrase implies a stronger, more profound longing than everyday wants.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harbor desires" functions as a verb phrase where "harbor" acts as a transitive verb taking "desires" as its direct object. It describes the act of holding or nurturing certain wishes. Ludwig AI indicates this is a usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "harbor desires" is a grammatically correct and semantically rich expression used to describe the act of holding strong, often deeply felt, longings or ambitions. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability, it's relatively rare in occurrence. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science, it suggests a neutral register suitable for expressing carefully guarded personal motivations. Related phrases such as "cherish ambitions" or "entertain yearnings" offer alternative shades of meaning. When using "harbor desires", consider the intensity of the longing you wish to convey, as the phrase implies a more profound emotional investment than simpler alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hold aspirations

This alternative phrase offers a more straightforward expression of possessing aspirations, lacking the emotional depth of "harbor".

cherish ambitions

This alternative implies a more tender and protective holding of aspirations, differing in emotional tone.

have ambitions

This is a more direct and less nuanced way of expressing the concept, lacking the implied depth and intensity.

entertain yearnings

This suggests a lighter consideration of longings, differing in the depth of commitment.

foster aspirations

This alternative conveys actively nurturing goals, contrasting with the passive holding implied by the original phrase.

maintain aspirations

This suggests a sustained effort to keep aspirations alive, differing in the level of active engagement.

nurse ambitions

This phrase conveys the action of carefully nurturing and attending to ambitions, implying more active involvement.

nurture longings

Focuses on actively developing feelings.

sustain yearnings

This emphasizes the endurance of longings over time, differing in its focus on persistence.

cultivate cravings

This suggests actively developing cravings, differing in the degree of awareness and effort.

FAQs

How can I use "harbor desires" in a sentence?

You can use "harbor desires" to describe someone who holds secret or long-term ambitions, such as "Despite his apparent contentment, he secretly "harbors desires" of becoming a famous artist".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "harbor desires"?

Alternatives include "cherish ambitions", "entertain yearnings", or "hold aspirations", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more common to say "harbor a desire" or "harbor desires"?

Both "harbor a desire" and "harbor desires" are grammatically correct. "Harbor a desire" typically refers to a single, specific longing, while "harbor desires" suggests multiple or general aspirations.

What's the difference between "harbor desires" and "have ambitions"?

"Harbor desires" implies a deeper, more carefully guarded set of longings than simply "have ambitions". The former suggests a more profound emotional investment.