Difference Between a Want and a Need

Wants and needs are economic terminologies.

A need is something that is necessary for a person to survive. On the other hand, a want refers to something that a person desires, either right now or in the future.

Wants are desires that are optional, meaning that you will still be able to go on living, even if the want is not met. On the other hand, if a particular need is not met, it could lead to a person suffering from illness, or even death.


In other words:

'Need' is a basic living essential ie. if you don't have it, you could die. needs are the things which make ones satisfaction arise when attained.Needs can be natural or man-made.for eg.oxygen,water,food are the natural needs but car,fuel,books ete can the artificial needs.Needs can also be unversal or contingent.

'Want' is something that you feel you need, or you really desire, but not having it doesn't mean you die.generally wants are abundance but not needed at the same instance,but in the future.wants are normally material things.






A need is something you have to have, something you can't do without. A good example is food. If you don't eat, you won't survive for long. Many people have gone days without eating, but they eventually ate a lot of food. You might not need a whole lot of food, but you do need to eat.

A want is something you would like to have. It is not absolutely necessary, but it would be a good thing to have. A good example is music. Now, some people might argue that music is a need because they think they can't do without it. But you don't need music to survive. You do need to eat.