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Prepositions with nouns

Which prepositions are used with “desire”?

The noun “desire” is most commonly followed by for + noun or to + infinitive. Other prepositions may appear in different sentence structures but are not usually selected directly by the noun.

Quick answer

Common patterns with “desire”

The most natural combinations are desire for something and desire to do something. Constructions such as desire of, desire with, desire by, and desire from are usually used in different grammatical relationships rather than as standard complements of the noun.

She felt a strong desire for independence.
He had a desire to travel abroad.
Their desire for change grew stronger.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
desire for + noun

Expressing what someone wants

Use desire for before a thing, state, or quality that someone wants.

There is a growing desire for stability.
Her desire for recognition was obvious.
2
desire to + verb

Expressing an intended action

Use desire to followed by a base verb to describe an action someone wants to do.

They showed a desire to improve.
His desire to compete returned quickly.
3
desire of + noun

Showing who has the desire

Desire of is possible in formal or literary English to identify the person or group experiencing the desire. It is less common than possessive forms such as her desire or the desire of the team.

The desire of the public was clear.
We respected the desire of the committee to remain neutral.
4
desire by + person

Describing the source of an action

Desire is not normally followed directly by by as its complement. However, by can introduce the person connected to a separate passive or noun structure.

The proposal was driven by desire for profit.
Her decision was influenced by desire rather than fear.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
desire for something
His desire for success was intense.
Standard pattern for the thing wanted.
desire to do something
She expressed a desire to leave early.
Standard pattern for a wanted action.
desire of someone
The desire of the voters was ignored.
Formal structure showing who has the desire.
desire with
They spoke with desire in their voices.
With is usually an adjunct describing manner or accompaniment, not a complement after desire.
desire from
We expect better results from the team.
From normally belongs to another word in the sentence, not directly to desire.
desire by
The campaign was motivated by desire for change.
By usually introduces cause or agency in a larger structure rather than following the noun directly.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using “desire with” as a direct pattern

With is not normally used directly after the noun desire to introduce the thing wanted.

✕ Her desire with freedom was obvious. ✓ Her desire for freedom was obvious.

Using “desire from” for a goal

Use desire for something, not desire from something, when naming what is wanted.

✕ They showed a desire from success. ✓ They showed a desire for success.

Confusing “desire to” and “desire for”

Use desire to with a verb and desire for with a noun.

✕ He had a desire for travel abroad. ✓ He had a desire to travel abroad.

Overusing formal “desire of”

Desire of can sound formal or literary. Possessive forms are often more natural in everyday English.

✕ The desire of her was clear. ✓ Her desire was clear.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She expressed a strong desire ___ learn French.
2. There is a growing desire ___ cleaner energy.
3. The proposal was motivated ___ desire for profit.

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Frequently asked questions

Is “desire for” the most common pattern?

Yes. Desire for is the standard way to name the thing someone wants.

Can I use “desire to” with a noun?

No. Desire to should be followed by a verb, such as desire to travel or desire to improve.

Is “desire of” wrong?

No. It is grammatical, especially in formal or literary styles, but everyday English often prefers possessive forms like her desire or their desire.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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