the desire for

USAGE SUMMARY

"the desire for" is a correct and common part of a sentence in written English.
It can be used to describe a feeling or longing for something. Example: The desire for success drove her to work harder than ever before.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The desire for fiscal relief is understandable.

The New York Times

The desire for common purpose wasn't.

The New York Times

Yet, underneath, lies the desire for revenge.

The Economist

"The desire for change is out there.

The New York Times

The revelations feed the desire for revenge.

The Economist

The desire for independence?

The New York Times

The desire for publicity remains.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I understand the desire for a fight.

The Washington Post

But the desire for success is.

The Washington Post

"But the desire for ownership is there.

The Washington Post

The desire for hardier camellias continues.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the desire for" to clearly express a want or need, ensuring the noun following "for" accurately reflects the object of that desire. For instance, "the desire for knowledge" effectively communicates a craving for learning.

Common error

Avoid vague constructions by specifying what evokes "the desire for". Instead of just saying "the desire for change", clarify it as "the desire for political change" or "the desire for personal change" to provide more clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the desire for" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It introduces a want or need for something specific, as supported by Ludwig's numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

15%

Science

17%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the desire for" is a versatile and frequently used phrase to express a yearning or need. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and appears across various contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science. When using "the desire for", it's helpful to specify the object of desire to enhance clarity and avoid vagueness. Related phrases like ""the longing for"" or ""the need for"" can provide alternative shades of meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the longing for

Uses "longing" instead of "desire", emphasizing a sentimental yearning.

the yearning for

Replaces desire with yearning, which suggests a deep and persistent desire.

the craving for

Replaces "desire" with "craving", suggesting a stronger, more intense longing.

the appetite for

Replaces desire with appetite, which indicates a natural and strong desire.

the hunger for

Substitutes desire with hunger, which can indicate a strong need or craving.

the aspiration for

Replaces "desire" with "aspiration", suggesting a more ambitious goal.

the ambition for

Substitutes desire with ambition, which suggest a strong drive to achieve success.

the passion for

Replaces desire with passion, suggesting a very strong emotion.

the need for

Substitutes "desire" with "need", indicating a requirement or necessity.

the inclination toward

Replaces the whole phrase to indicate a tendency or preference towards something.

FAQs

How can I use "the desire for" in a sentence?

You can use "the desire for" to express a want or need. For example, "the desire for knowledge" motivates many students.

What are some alternatives to "the desire for"?

Alternatives include "the longing for", "the need for", or "the yearning for", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "a desire for" instead of "the desire for"?

Yes, both are grammatically correct, but "the desire for" often refers to a specific, well-defined want, while "a desire for" refers to a more general instance. For example: "She had a desire for adventure" vs "The desire for world peace is universal".

What's the difference between "desire for" and "desire to"?

"Desire for" is used with nouns (e.g., "the desire for power"), whereas "desire to" is followed by a verb (e.g., "I desire to learn").