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Definitions

need

[need] / nid /






Usage

What are other ways to say need? The verb need often suggests urgency, stressing the necessity of supplying what is lacking: to need an operation, better food, a match to light the fire. Require, which expresses necessity as strongly as need, occurs most frequently in serious or formal contexts: Your presence at the hearing is required. Successful experimentation requires careful attention to detail. Lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something: to lack courage, sufficient money, enough members to make a quorum. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“This really creates a need for more systems basically starting this year,” he said.

From MarketWatch Jul. 15, 2026

For those who need to wait for assistance, she said advice is also offered on keeping them hydrated, fed and comfortable.

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

“They are hearing from their customers, ‘We need to make room in our budget for AI.’

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 14, 2026

"These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends."

From Barron's Jul. 14, 2026

“Small Fry, you need to engage,” he says to me.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

"There are many unstable and uncertain external factors, and the domestic contradiction of strong supply and weak demand is prominent. The foundation for the economy to improve still needs to be consolidated," it added.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

Watson says that uncertainty needs to be understood carefully.

From BBC Jul. 14, 2026

The season is open now with a limit of 30 per person; you can only catch them by hand and anyone over 16 needs to have a fishing license.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 14, 2026

But to keep investors happy, Netflix needs to extract more revenue per subscriber.

From MarketWatch Jul. 14, 2026

He ignores the men, searching for his needs.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Additional research will be needed to determine whether encouraging greater cultural engagement leads to lasting improvements in health and healthier aging over the long term.

From Science Daily Jul. 15, 2026

"We'd take her to lots of different doctors and they'd tell her it was all in her head and she needed therapy."

From BBC Jul. 14, 2026

The fertility rate fell to 1.34 children per woman in 2024, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to keep the population stable without migration.

From Barron's Jul. 14, 2026

He went home and decided that, like the Chinese manufacturers, Neros would build for itself most of the components it needed to avoid relying on other vendors.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 14, 2026

Indeed, Clare needed not wonder where this wandering soul belonged.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Common prostate cancer symptoms can include needing to urinate more frequently, particularly at night; difficulty starting to urinate, weak flow and it taking a long time; and blood in urine or semen.

From BBC Jul. 11, 2026

BBC Sport unpicks a game that will go down in World Cup history for featuring a team who were two goals down so late on, but who went on to win without needing extra time.

From BBC Jul. 7, 2026

Back in the days when England could not just walk through World Cup qualification, Glenn Hoddle's side went to Rome needing at least a draw to seal their place in France '98.

From BBC Jul. 6, 2026

If at that point a woman decides to buy a new ring it's a sign that she is making her own financial decisions and "not needing to ask permission from anyone," says Daly.

From BBC Jul. 6, 2026

I thought about what my dad said about Mom needing me.

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea




Vocabulary lists containing need


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