lust
gb/lˈʌst/ us/lˈʌst/
B2
English
~ 6800
szexuális vágy, kéjvágy, testi vágy, mohó vágy, sóvárgás, vágyik, kíván, sóvárog
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
lust for [someone]
Their relationship was based more on lust than on love.
A kapcsolatuk inkább a testi vágyon alapult, mint a szerelmen.
He felt a sudden surge of lust when she kissed him.
Hirtelen elöntötte a szexuális vágy, amikor a nő megcsókolta.
The movie shows how uncontrolled lust can destroy a marriage.
The preacher warned the crowd about the dangers of lust.
She could see the lust in his eyes and stepped away.
Learner examples
He felt strong lust for her.
Erős szexuális vágyat érzett iránta.
The man was full of lust when he saw the woman.
A férfit elöntötte a testi vágy, amikor meglátta a nőt.
Their marriage started with lust but later became love.
The book talks about how lust can hurt people.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "lust" when they mean romantic love, saying things like *"I feel lust for my boyfriend"* in a positive, emotional sense. In English, "lust" is mainly physical and can sound crude or negative in this context; "love" or "attraction" is usually better. Another mistake is using it as an uncountable noun in all cases; in phrases like "a lust for her" the article "a" is needed.
Meaning
very strong sexual desire
Collocations
sexual lust
|uncontrollable lust
|burning lust
|lust for [someone]
|be driven by lust
|be full of lust
Synonyms
sexual desire (More neutral and clinical; does not carry the same sense of intensity or loss of control as "lust".)
|
passion (Can mean strong romantic or sexual feeling, but is often more positive and emotional, not only physical.)
Antonyms
chastity (Suggests avoiding sexual activity or desire, often for moral or religious reasons, which contrasts with intense sexual lust.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|sex
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very strong sexual desire for a person.
A very strong and often urgent sexual desire for someone.
NOUN
C1
2
Usage pattern:
lust for [something]
His lust for power led him to betray his closest friends.
A hatalomvágya miatt elárulta a legközelebbi barátait.
The company was driven by a blind lust for profit.
A vállalatot vak nyereségvágy hajtotta.
The novel explores humanity's endless lust for fame and recognition.
Her lust for adventure took her to dangerous places.
A politician with a lust for control can be very dangerous.
Learner examples
The king had a strong lust for power.
A királyt erős hatalomvágy hajtotta.
Their lust for money made them lie to customers.
A pénz utáni mohó vágyuk miatt hazudtak az ügyfeleknek.
She has a real lust for adventure and travel.
His lust for success makes him work every weekend.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "lust" for any strong positive interest, as in *"I have a lust for learning English"*. In everyday English, this sounds too dramatic or negative; words like "strong desire", "passion", or "love" are more natural for positive goals.
Meaning
strong desire for something
Collocations
lust for power
|lust for money
|lust for success
|insatiable lust for [something]
|greed and lust
Synonyms
craving (Can be used for food, drugs, or experiences and is slightly less negative; "lust" often suggests selfishness or moral judgment.)
|
greed (Focuses on wanting more than is fair, especially money or things; "lust" is broader and can target power, fame, or excitement.)
Antonyms
contentment (Means being satisfied with what you have, the opposite of a restless lust for more.)
Themes
emotions
|politics
|work
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very strong and usually selfish desire for something like power, money, or success.
A very strong, often selfish or uncontrolled desire for something such as power, money, or success.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
lust after [someone]
He spent the whole summer lusting after his married neighbor.
Egész nyáron a férjes szomszédnője után sóvárgott.
She hated the way some men in the office lusted after her.
Utálta, ahogyan néhány férfi az irodában sóvárgott utána.
The character openly lusts after his best friend's wife.
Teenagers in the show spend most of their time flirting and lusting after each other.
He tried not to lust after her, but he found her body impossible to ignore.
Learner examples
He secretly lusted after his teacher.
Titokban vágyakozott a tanára után.
The man lusted after the actor he saw in the film.
A férfi a filmben látott színész után sóvárgott.
She felt angry when she saw the men lust after her friend.
In the story, the king lusts after a young woman.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "lust" like a neutral verb for liking someone, e.g. *"I lust her"*. In English, you must say "lust after her" or "lust for her", and the meaning is strongly sexual and often negative. For general liking or romantic feeling, use "like", "love", or "have a crush on" instead.
Meaning
to desire someone sexually
Collocations
lust after [someone]
|secretly lust after [someone]
|openly lust after [someone]
|lust for [someone]
Synonyms
desire (More general and slightly more polite; "lust" emphasizes physical and often uncontrolled sexual wanting.)
Antonyms
feel no attraction to (Describes the absence of sexual interest, which is the opposite of lusting after someone.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|sex
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To feel very strong sexual desire for a person.
To feel a very strong sexual desire for someone.
VERB
C1
4
Usage pattern:
lust after [something]
Some leaders openly lust after power and recognition.
Egyes vezetők nyíltan sóvárognak a hatalom és az elismerés után.
He spent his whole career lusting after fame instead of doing good work.
Egész pályafutását azzal töltötte, hogy a hírnév után sóvárgott, ahelyett hogy jó munkát végzett volna.
The company lusted after quick profits and ignored safety rules.
They accuse the ruling party of lusting after absolute control.
Investors who lust after fast returns often take crazy risks.
Learner examples
Many politicians lust after power.
Sok politikus sóvárog a hatalom után.
He lusts after money and does not care about people.
Csak a pénz után sóvárog, és nem törődik az emberekkel.
Some companies lust after profit more than safety.
She does not lust after fame; she just wants to do a good job.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this verb with positive goals, for example *"I lust after good grades"*. In common English this sounds too strong or negative; use "really want", "am keen to get", or "aim for" instead.
Meaning
to strongly want something
Collocations
lust after power
|lust after fame
|lust after money
|lust for control
Synonyms
long for (Shows a deep wish, often emotional or sad; "lust" suggests a more intense, sometimes greedy desire.)
Antonyms
be satisfied with (Describes not wanting more, which contrasts with lusting after more power or things.)
Themes
emotions
|work
|politics
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To strongly and often selfishly want something like power, money, or success.
To feel a very strong, often selfish or uncontrolled desire for something such as power, money, or success.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lust
IPA
GB/lˈʌst/
US/lˈʌst/
Syllables & stress
lust (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lust)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: lust
- Plural: lust
Verb
- Base: lust
- 3rd Person Singular: lusts
- Present Participle: lusting
- Past: lusted
Word family
Forms
lusts
verb
lusting
verb
lusted
verb
Core family
lustful
adjective
Related words
lustfully
adverb
Advanced or less common
lustfulness
noun
lusty
adjective
Expressions
a lust for
1/ə lˈʌst fɚ/
fixed phrase
a very strong desire for something
A very strong desire for something, often something exciting or powerful.
Examples
- She has a lust for adventure and new experiences.
- The speech was full of anger and a lust for revenge.
- His letters show a deep loneliness and a lust for connection.
lust after
1/lˈʌst ˈæftɚ/
phrasal verb
desire someone sexually
To feel very strong sexual desire for someone.
Examples
- He spent the whole party lusting after his ex-girlfriend.
- She hates the way some customers lust after her when she works at the bar.
- The character is always lusting after his coworker in the show.
lust for life
1/lˈʌst fɚ lˈaɪf/
idiom
literary
strong zest and joy for life
A very strong feeling of joy and excitement about living and experiencing life.
Examples
- Even in her eighties, she had a real lust for life.
- Traveling with him is fun because his lust for life is infectious.
- The documentary celebrates her energy and her lust for life.
lust for power
1/lˈʌst fɚ pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
very strong desire for power
A very strong and usually selfish desire to get and keep power over people or a situation.
Examples
- His lust for power finally destroyed his career.
- The novel shows how a leader's lust for power can turn into cruelty.
- They say the new law is driven by the president's lust for power.