Desire vs Our sister craves your attention

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Desire

Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun

Our sister craves your attention

Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Desire
 DesireOur sister craves your attention
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈzaɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈzaɪər/"]/🇬🇧 //kreɪv//🇺🇸 //kreɪv//
MeaningA strong wish for something.When someone really wants your attention.
ExampleHer desire to travel the world consumed her thoughts daily.The child craves your attention every time you come home.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 3,000 (common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsburning, deep, fervent, feel, harbour/​harbor, have, desire for, an object of desire, burning, deep, fervent, feel, harbour/​harbor, have, desire for, an object of desirecrave attention, crave food, crave love, crave something sweet, crave excitement
Antonymsdislike, aversion, indifference-
Common mistakesConfused with 'want' — 'desire' is stronger., Using 'desire' without an object — it needs something to be desired., Misplacing the stress in pronunciation.Confusing 'crave' with 'want' - 'crave' is much stronger., Using 'crave' with non-living things - it's mostly used for desires., Saying 'craving for' instead of just 'crave' - it doesn't need 'for'.
Usage notesUsed in both spoken and written English. It's appropriate in neutral contexts but might feel too strong or formal in casual conversations. Phrases like 'a desire to travel' are common.Use 'crave' for strong desires, often related to food, emotions, or attention. It can sound intense, so consider tone in casual contexts.

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Our sister craves your attention

Frequently asked questions: Desire vs Our sister craves your attention

What's the difference between Desire and Our sister craves your attention?

Desire: A strong wish for something. Our sister craves your attention: When someone really wants your attention.

Which is more common: Desire and Our sister craves your attention?

Desire is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Desire: Her desire to travel the world consumed her thoughts daily. Our sister craves your attention: The child craves your attention every time you come home.

Can I use Desire and Our sister craves your attention interchangeably?

Not always. Desire and Our sister craves your attention are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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