Wish sth on sb Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Wish sth on sb” Mean?

“Wish sth on sb” means to hope or want something bad or unpleasant to happen to someone else. It is often used when talking about negative things someone might want for another person.

Introduction

The phrase Wish sth on sb is a common English phrasal verb used to describe the act of hoping that something bad happens to someone else. Here, “sth” stands for “something,” and “sb” means “somebody.” The Wish sth on sb meaning usually involves negative feelings or intentions, like wishing bad luck, pain, or trouble on another person. Understanding this phrase is useful because it often appears in conversations, stories, and media when talking about anger, revenge, or misfortune. This guide will help you learn how to use this phrasal verb correctly, with examples and tips for everyday English.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: Wish something on somebody
• Type: Transitive
• Level: B2
• Short meaning: To hope that something bad happens to someone

Structure (Grammar Rules)

The phrasal verb “wish sth on sb” is separable. This means you can place the object (something) between “wish” and “on,” or after “on.”

• Wish something on somebody (correct)
• Wish somebody something (less common, not usual for this phrasal verb)

Pattern:

• Wish + something (negative) + on + somebody

How to Use Wish sth on sb?

Use “wish sth on sb” when you want to express that someone hopes or desires a bad event or condition for another person. It often appears in contexts involving anger, punishment, or negative feelings. It is rarely used for positive wishes.

Examples

Imagine someone is very angry at a person who treated them badly. They might say:

• “I would never wish that kind of pain on anyone.”
• “She didn’t deserve what happened, and I don’t wish it on her.”
• “He wished bad luck on his enemy after the argument.”
• “No one should wish failure on their friends.”
• “They wished the curse on the traitor.”

Here are more examples using wish sth on sb in a sentence:

• The bully wished misery on the new student.
• It’s cruel to wish illness on someone.
• She didn’t want to wish bad luck on her rivals.

Common Mistakes

People sometimes confuse this phrase with positive wishes or use it incorrectly in sentence structure. For example:

• Incorrect: I wish happiness on you. (Usually we say “wish you happiness” instead.)
• Correct: I don’t wish bad luck on anyone.
• Incorrect: She wishes on him something bad. (Wrong word order)
• Correct: She wishes something bad on him.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrasal verbs include “wish for,” “wish upon,” and “wish away.” However, these differ in meaning:

• Wish for means to hope to get something good, e.g., “I wish for success.”
• Wish upon is used with stars or objects, usually for positive hopes, e.g., “wish upon a star.”
• Wish away means to try to make something disappear by wishing.
• Wish sth on sb specifically means hoping something bad happens to someone.

Common Collocations

People often use “wish sth on sb” with these common objects:

• Bad luck: Hoping someone experiences misfortune.
• Pain: Wishing physical or emotional suffering.
• Misery: Wanting someone to feel sadness or hardship.
• Failure: Hoping someone does not succeed.
• Illness: Wishing someone gets sick (very negative).

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of wish sth on sb:

• Wish Sth Upon Sb

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “wish sth on sb”:

Anna: I heard John lost his job. Do you think anyone wished that on him?

Mark: Maybe. Sometimes people do wish bad luck on others when they’re jealous.

Anna: I hope no one really wishes something bad on him.

Mark: Me too. It’s not right to wish pain or failure on anyone.

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “wish sth on sb”:

• He didn’t __________ bad luck __________ his enemies.
• It’s cruel to __________ pain __________ someone else.
• She would never __________ failure __________ her classmates.
• They __________ misery __________ the traitor.

FAQ

• Q: Is “wish sth on sb” positive or negative?
  A: It is usually negative, meaning hoping bad things happen to someone.
• Q: Can I use “wish sth on sb” for good things?
  A: No, this phrase is mostly for bad wishes.
• Q: Is “wish sth on sb” separable?
  A: Yes, you can place the object between “wish” and “on.”
• Q: What does “sth” and “sb” mean?
  A: “sth” means “something” and “sb” means “somebody.”
• Q: Can I say “wish you something”?
  A: Usually not with this phrasal verb. Say “wish you luck” instead.