What does lusted mean?
“Lusted” is the past tense and past participle of “lust,” a verb meaning to experience a strong or passionate desire. Its most familiar use is sexual: a person may say that they lusted for someone, expressing intense attraction or physical desire. The word can also apply figuratively to an overwhelming craving for something else, such as travel, food, freedom, or an exciting experience. In these uses, “lusted” suggests a desire that feels powerful and difficult to resist, often with a slightly dramatic or literary tone. Because it is an inflected form rather than a standalone lexical headword, it is most often encountered in narrative writing and in the idiomatic expressions “lusted for” and “lusted after.” It conveys emotional and physical intensity, making it more forceful than simply “wanted.”
verbThe past tense and past participle of lust: to have a strong, passionate, or intense desire for something. It most often refers to sexual desire, but it can also mean eagerly wanting or craving something.
- To have a strong or passionate desire, especially a sexual desire.
- To eagerly want or intensely crave something.
"After months of travel, she lusted for a quiet afternoon by the sea."
"They lusted for the chance to travel and explore the world."
"The advertisement clearly lusted after a younger audience."
Lust is desire with force: it can describe sexual attraction, but also an intense longing for food, freedom, adventure, or a new experience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lusted come from?
The form “lusted” comes from the English verb “lust,” which developed from Old English “lust,” meaning pleasure, appetite, or desire. The word belongs to a Germanic vocabulary concerned with pleasure and strong inclination, with related forms found in languages such as German and Dutch. Its modern sense developed from the general idea of desire into a particularly strong and often sexual meaning.
Related word forms
How lusted is actually used
“Lusted” is normally used as the past tense or past participle of “lust.” In its most common sense, it has a sexual connotation, but it can also express any intense craving. The constructions “lusted for” and “lusted after” are especially common.
Easily confused with lusted
“Lusted” means had a strong or passionate desire, whereas “listed” means was included in a list or catalog.