Other Ways to Say “Wanting to Do Something” |25 Examples

Other words for wanting to do something include intend to, plan to, hope to, aim to, would like to, wish to, be keen to, feel like, be eager to, and be interested in. The best choice depends on meaning and tone.

Best alternatives: intend to, plan to, hope to, aim to, would like to

If you keep using want to do something, your English can start to sound repetitive. Learning alternatives to “wanting to do something” helps you express intention, plans, hopes, preferences, and enthusiasm more precisely.

The best other ways to say “wanting to do something” depend on your meaning. For example, intend to shows a clear intention, while hope to suggests something you would like to happen but are not certain about.

These expressions are useful in everyday conversations, workplace meetings, business emails, presentations, job interviews, academic writing, and professional communication.

“Better vocabulary is not about using bigger words; it is about choosing the right word for the meaning.”

Formal Alternatives

Intend to
Wish to
Aim to
Be keen to

Pro Tip

Use these expressions when you need a respectful or polished tone. Intend to is especially useful when you want to communicate a clear intention.

Professional Alternatives

Plan to
Intend to
Aim to
Be interested in
Be eager to

Pro Tip

In workplace communication, choose the expression that reflects your actual level of commitment. Plan to usually sounds more definite than hope to.

Business Email Alternatives

I intend to…
I plan to…
I would like to…
I am interested in…
I hope to…

Pro Tip

I would like to… is particularly useful when making a polite request or expressing a professional preference.

Academic Alternatives

Aim to
Intend to
Seek to
Plan to
Hope to

Pro Tip

Academic writing usually benefits from precise verbs. Use aim to for a research objective and seek to when describing an attempt to achieve a particular purpose.

Casual Alternatives

Feel like
Want to
Be up for
Be keen to

Pro Tip

These expressions work well in friendly conversations. Avoid very casual phrases such as wanna in formal writing.

Informal Expressions

Feel like doing something
Be up for doing something
Be really into doing something
Be eager to do something

Pro Tip

Informal expressions can make spoken English sound natural, but they are not always appropriate for professional emails or academic essays.

What Does “Wanting to Do Something” Mean?

Wanting to do something means having a desire, wish, intention, or preference to perform an action.

For example:

I want to learn Spanish.

This sentence tells us that the speaker has a desire to learn Spanish.

However, want does not always explain why the person wants to act. Different alternatives provide more information:

I intend to learn Spanish. → I have made an intention.
I plan to learn Spanish. → I have a plan.
I hope to learn Spanish. → I desire it, but it may not happen.
I aim to learn Spanish. → I have a goal.
I would like to learn Spanish. → I express the desire politely.

Grammar

The most common structure is:

want + to + base verb

I want to improve my English.

Many alternatives also use to + base verb:

I intend to improve my English.
I plan to improve my English.

Some expressions use a gerund (-ing):

I feel like improving my English.
I am interested in improving my English.

When to Use “Wanting to Do Something”

You can use these expressions in many situations, but the best choice changes with context.

Business: State intentions, plans, or professional goals.
Academic writing: Describe aims, objectives, or research purposes.
Emails: Express requests, plans, and preferences politely.
Meetings: Explain what you intend or plan to do.
Presentations: Describe goals and future actions.
Job interviews: Explain professional interests and ambitions.
Daily conversation: Talk naturally about activities you desire.
Spoken English: Use shorter, familiar expressions.
Written English: Choose expressions that match the level of formality.
Formal situations: Prefer intend to, wish to, or aim to when appropriate.
Informal situations: Feel like and be up for can sound more natural.

Is “Wanting to Do Something” Professional or Polite?

The phrase want to is not incorrect or unprofessional. It is simply broad and neutral.

Question	Answer
Polite?	✔ Yes, depending on context
Professional?	✔ Yes, in many situations
Formal?	Sometimes
Natural?	✔ Very natural

Compare:

Neutral:

I want to discuss the proposal.

More polite:

I would like to discuss the proposal.

More formal:

I wish to discuss the proposal.

Clear intention:

I intend to discuss the proposal.

The difference is not correctness. It is tone and meaning.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy to understand
Extremely common
Natural in spoken English
Suitable for many everyday situations
Easy for English learners to use

Cons

Can become repetitive
Does not always show the speaker’s exact intention
May sound less polished in some formal contexts
Does not distinguish between plans, hopes, goals, and preferences

“A synonym is useful only when it preserves the meaning you actually intend.”

Other Ways to Say “Wanting to Do Something”

These 15 alternatives cover the most useful formal, professional, academic, neutral, and casual situations.

1. Phrase: Intend to

Meaning: To have a clear intention to do something.

Explanation:
Intend to is stronger and more deliberate than want to. It suggests that you have decided or are committed to taking an action. It is common in professional, formal, and written English.

Example Sentence:

We intend to review the policy before the next meeting.

Best Use: Business Communication
Avoid Using In: Very Casual Chat
Tone: Formal, Clear
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Formal
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

intend to improve
intend to apply
intend to continue
intend to introduce
intend to pursue

Context Variability:

Spoken: I intend to speak with her tomorrow.
Professional: We intend to expand the service next year.
Casual: I intend to finish the book tonight.

2. Phrase: Plan to

Meaning: To have decided what you are going to do.

Explanation:
Plan to focuses on an arrangement or decision rather than simple desire. It is one of the most useful alternatives because it works in both professional and everyday English.

Example Sentence:

I plan to submit the application on Friday.

Best Use: Daily Communication
Avoid Using In: None Generally
Tone: Neutral, Practical
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B1

Common Collocations:

plan to attend
plan to visit
plan to launch
plan to study
plan to discuss

Context Variability:

Spoken: I plan to visit my cousin this weekend.
Professional: The company plans to update its website.
Casual: We plan to watch a movie tonight.

3. Phrase: Hope to

Meaning: To want something to happen while accepting that it may not happen.

Explanation:
Hope to is different from intend to. It expresses a desired future outcome without promising that it will happen.

Example Sentence:

I hope to complete the course by December.

Best Use: Future Goals
Avoid Using In: Certain Commitments
Tone: Positive, Cautious
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B1

Common Collocations:

hope to achieve
hope to hear
hope to meet
hope to improve
hope to become

Context Variability:

Spoken: I hope to see you soon.
Professional: We hope to resolve the issue shortly.
Casual: I hope to travel this summer.

4. Phrase: Aim to

Meaning: To have something as a goal.

Explanation:
Aim to emphasizes an objective. It is especially common in business, academic writing, presentations, and professional discussions.

Example Sentence:

The project aims to reduce processing time.

Best Use: Professional Goals
Avoid Using In: Casual Requests
Tone: Professional, Focused
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Formal
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

aim to achieve
aim to reduce
aim to improve
aim to provide
aim to increase

Context Variability:

Spoken: I aim to improve my presentation skills.
Professional: We aim to provide faster customer support.
Casual: I aim to finish this today.

5. Phrase: Would like to

Meaning: A polite way to express a desire or preference.

Explanation:
Would like to is one of the safest choices when you want to sound polite. It is particularly useful in requests, business emails, customer communication, and professional conversations.

Example Sentence:

I would like to discuss the revised schedule.

Best Use: Professional Emails
Avoid Using In: Very Casual Speech
Tone: Polite, Professional
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Formal
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B1

Common Collocations:

would like to ask
would like to discuss
would like to know
would like to request
would like to arrange

Context Variability:

Spoken: I would like to order a coffee.
Professional: I would like to request a meeting.
Casual: I would like to try that restaurant.

Native Speaker Tip

Would like to is extremely natural when you want to sound polite without sounding excessively formal. It is usually safer in professional situations than I want to.

6. Phrase: Wish to

Meaning: To want something, usually in a formal or polite way.

Explanation:
Wish to is more formal than want to. It appears in official communication, formal notices, customer-service language, and some professional writing.

Example Sentence:

If you wish to participate, please complete the registration form.

Best Use: Formal Writing
Avoid Using In: Friendly Chat
Tone: Formal, Respectful
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Formal
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

wish to apply
wish to inform
wish to discuss
wish to express
wish to confirm

Context Variability:

Spoken: I wish to speak with the manager.
Professional: We wish to inform you of the change.
Casual: I wish to learn another language.

7. Phrase: Be keen to

Meaning: To be very interested or enthusiastic about doing something.

Explanation:
Be keen to communicates enthusiasm rather than a simple desire. It is common in British English and is also understood widely elsewhere.

Example Sentence:

Our team is keen to explore new opportunities.

Best Use: Workplace Conversation
Avoid Using In: Strictly Formal Legal Writing
Tone: Positive, Enthusiastic
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

keen to learn
keen to help
keen to participate
keen to explore
keen to develop

Context Variability:

Spoken: I’m keen to try it.
Professional: She is keen to develop new skills.
Casual: We’re keen to see the new place.

8. Phrase: Be eager to

Meaning: To strongly want to do something because you are excited or enthusiastic.

Explanation:
Eager to is stronger than want to. It can work in professional English, especially when discussing motivation, learning, collaboration, or career goals.

Example Sentence:

The new employees are eager to contribute to the project.

Best Use: Job Interviews
Avoid Using In: Neutral Reports
Tone: Enthusiastic, Positive
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

eager to learn
eager to help
eager to contribute
eager to participate
eager to improve

Context Variability:

Spoken: I’m eager to learn more.
Professional: We are eager to work with your team.
Casual: I’m eager to see what happens.

9. Phrase: Be interested in

Meaning: To have an interest in doing or exploring something.

Explanation:
This phrase is useful when your desire comes from curiosity or interest. Remember that it is followed by a noun or -ing form, not normally to + verb.

Example Sentence:

She is interested in joining the research group.

Best Use: Professional Discussion
Avoid Using In: Immediate Decisions
Tone: Neutral, Professional
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B1

Common Collocations:

interested in learning
interested in joining
interested in working
interested in exploring
interested in discussing

Context Variability:

Spoken: I’m interested in learning French.
Professional: We are interested in discussing a partnership.
Casual: He’s interested in trying something new.

10. Phrase: Seek to

Meaning: To try or aim to achieve something.

Explanation:
Seek to is formal and common in academic, institutional, business, and policy-related writing. It should not replace want to in every situation.

Example Sentence:

The study seeks to identify the main causes of the problem.

Best Use: Academic Writing
Avoid Using In: Casual Conversation
Tone: Formal, Academic
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Formal
Usage Frequency: Occasional
CEFR Level: C1

Common Collocations:

seek to understand
seek to improve
seek to identify
seek to establish
seek to address

Context Variability:

Spoken: We seek to improve the service.
Professional: The organization seeks to expand access.
Casual: Rare in relaxed conversation.

Native Speaker Tip

Seek to is grammatically natural but can sound unnecessarily formal in ordinary conversation. In daily speech, plan to, want to, or hope to will usually sound more natural.

11. Phrase: Feel like

Meaning: To have a desire or mood to do something.

Explanation:
Feel like is conversational and normally takes an -ing form. It describes what you are in the mood for rather than a long-term plan.

Example Sentence:

I feel like taking a walk after dinner.

Best Use: Daily Conversation
Avoid Using In: Formal Email
Tone: Casual, Natural
Formality Level: ⭐⭐ Casual
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B1

Common Collocations:

feel like going
feel like eating
feel like talking
feel like trying
feel like staying

Context Variability:

Spoken: I feel like watching a film.
Professional: Usually avoid it in formal business writing.
Casual: Do you feel like getting some coffee?

12. Phrase: Be up for

Meaning: To be willing or interested in doing something.

Explanation:
Be up for is informal and friendly. It is useful when suggesting an activity or asking whether someone wants to participate.

Example Sentence:

Are you up for joining us after class?

Best Use: Friendly Conversation
Avoid Using In: Formal Email
Tone: Friendly, Informal
Formality Level: ⭐⭐ Casual
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

up for trying
up for going
up for meeting
up for joining
up for doing

Context Variability:

Spoken: Are you up for dinner?
Professional: Generally avoid it in formal correspondence.
Casual: I’m up for trying something different.

13. Phrase: Be willing to

Meaning: To be ready or prepared to do something.

Explanation:
Be willing to focuses more on readiness than desire. Someone may not strongly want to do something, but they are prepared to do it.

Example Sentence:

I am willing to consider another approach.

Best Use: Workplace Discussion
Avoid Using In: Strong Personal Desire
Tone: Cooperative, Professional
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Very Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

willing to help
willing to consider
willing to discuss
willing to cooperate
willing to learn

Context Variability:

Spoken: I’m willing to help.
Professional: We are willing to consider your proposal.
Casual: I’m willing to give it a try.

14. Phrase: Have an interest in

Meaning: To have a particular interest or desire related to something.

Explanation:
This phrase is more formal than simply saying be interested in. It can work well in professional profiles, reports, and formal descriptions.

Example Sentence:

The organization has an interest in developing sustainable solutions.

Best Use: Formal Writing
Avoid Using In: Casual Chat
Tone: Formal, Neutral
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Formal
Usage Frequency: Occasional
CEFR Level: C1

Common Collocations:

have an interest in learning
have an interest in research
have an interest in developing
have an interest in technology
have an interest in education

Context Variability:

Spoken: I have an interest in photography.
Professional: The company has an interest in expanding internationally.
Casual: More natural alternatives are usually preferred.

15. Phrase: Be determined to

Meaning: To strongly decide that you will do something.

Explanation:
Be determined to is much stronger than want to. It communicates commitment and persistence, so use it when the speaker is serious about achieving a goal.

Example Sentence:

She is determined to improve her public-speaking skills.

Best Use: Personal Goals
Avoid Using In: Simple Preferences
Tone: Strong, Confident
Formality Level: ⭐⭐⭐ Neutral
Usage Frequency: Common
CEFR Level: B2

Common Collocations:

determined to succeed
determined to improve
determined to achieve
determined to continue
determined to overcome

Context Variability:

Spoken: I’m determined to finish this course.
Professional: The team is determined to meet its objectives.
Casual: He’s determined to learn how to cook.

“The strongest phrase is not always the best phrase. Choose the expression that matches your actual level of intention.”

Native Speaker Tip

For modern everyday English, plan to, hope to, want to, would like to, and feel like are especially useful.

For professional contexts, intend to, aim to, plan to, would like to, and be willing to often communicate your meaning clearly without sounding unnatural.

Very formal choices such as seek to and wish to have their place, but native speakers do not automatically use them just because a situation is professional.

Expert Insight

In workplace communication, avoid changing want to into a complicated phrase simply to sound intelligent. Precision matters more than formality.

For example, “We plan to launch the service in June” is usually clearer than an unnecessarily elaborate alternative.

Best Phrases by Situation

Situation	Best Phrase
Business Email	I would like to…
Client Meeting	I intend to…
Academic Essay	aim to / seek to
Presentation	aim to…
Workplace Discussion	plan to…
Job Interview	I am eager to…
Team Collaboration	I am willing to…
Everyday Conversation	I want to / feel like…

Top 10 Alternatives Compared

Phrase	Tone	Formality	Best Use	Frequency
Plan to	Neutral	⭐⭐⭐	Everyday & work	Very Common
Intend to	Professional	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Business	Common
Hope to	Positive	⭐⭐⭐	Goals	Very Common
Would like to	Polite	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Emails	Very Common
Aim to	Focused	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Academic/work	Common
Be willing to	Cooperative	⭐⭐⭐	Workplace	Very Common
Be eager to	Enthusiastic	⭐⭐⭐	Interviews	Common
Be interested in	Neutral	⭐⭐⭐	Discussions	Very Common
Wish to	Formal	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Official writing	Common
Seek to	Academic	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Academic writing	Occasional

Which One Should You Use?

Best Overall

Plan to is a versatile choice when you are describing a definite future action.

Best Professional

Intend to works well when you want to communicate a clear intention.

Best Academic

Aim to or seek to works well when describing an objective or research purpose.

Best Business Email

Would like to is useful for polite requests, preferences, and professional communication.

Best Everyday Conversation

Want to remains completely natural in ordinary speech.

Most Natural

Plan to is a strong alternative when you have already decided to do something.

Most Polite

Would like to is generally a natural way to soften a desire or request.

Commonly Confused Phrases

“I want to” vs. “I completely intend to”

These are not interchangeable. Want to expresses desire, while intend to suggests a stronger decision.

“I plan to” vs. “I hope to”

Plan to suggests a decided course of action. Hope to expresses a desired result that is less certain.

I plan to apply next week.
I hope to get the position.

“I intend to” vs. “I aim to”

Intend to focuses on what you have decided to do. Aim to focuses on a goal you are trying to achieve.

“I would like to” vs. “I want to”

Both express desire, but would like to is more polite and often better for requests.

“I feel like” vs. “I want to”

Feel like often describes a temporary mood or desire.

I feel like going for a walk.

Want to can describe a general or specific desire.

I want to learn French.