people often talk about needing a thing, when they really just want it. wants can be for the same things as needs. for example, a person can "need" to eat food and can "want" to eat cake. if there is no cake then he or she may have to eat something else, perhaps bread. the need is no longer so important (the person is no longer hungry) although the want may still be there. if there is cake, then the person's needs and wants can both be met.