requirement
Americannoun
-
something demanded or imposed as an obligation
Latin is no longer a requirement for entry to university
-
a thing desired or needed
-
the act or an instance of requiring
Usage
What does requirement mean? A requirement is something that’s mandatory or necessary—it’s something you need to have or need to do. Requirement is most often used in official contexts in which achieving a certain status requires you to perform certain actions or have certain things, such as documents. Example: By passing this class you have now met all of the basic requirements for your major and will be able to walk at graduation in May.
Synonym Usage
Requirement, requisite refer to that which is necessary. A requirement is some quality or performance demanded of a person in accordance with certain fixed regulations: requirements for admission to college. A requisite is not imposed from outside; it is a factor which is judged necessary according to the nature of things, or to the circumstances of the case: Efficiency is a requisite for success in business. Requisite may also refer to a concrete object judged necessary: the requisites for perfect grooming.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of requirement
Explanation
Necessary, inescapable, and non-negotiable, a requirement is something that must be done, like the dishes. Speaking politely to your grandparents may be a requirement of living in your parents' house. Requirements can be imposed by an authority. For example, in college, it is usually a requirement that you study math, English, and history, before you go on to get your degree in underwater basket weaving. We can also speak of the requirements of a living system: your body requires water to stay alive; light is a requirement of photosynthesis.
Vocabulary lists containing requirement
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 81-90
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Supreme Court healthcare ruling
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"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1
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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:
In legalese, this requirement is known as mens rea—literally, “guilty mind.”
From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2026
Borrowers don’t have to be first-time homebuyers, which is often a requirement of down payment aid programs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
There is no requirement for any Venezuelan government participation in the board.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
In 2018, Lando helped establish a 5-foot buffer requirement for new construction and major home remodels in Marin County.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
It was a night flight and Bull Meecham had flown from Ravenel to Key West, an out and in flight that would satisfy the requirement of four hours night flying a month.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
As long as they adhere to price caps, agree to certain labor requirements and fix repairs that arise, they’re protected from lawsuits from buyers concerning defects 10 years after construction of the home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
It does not eliminate scientific or medical requirements.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Financial requirements to invest vary widely, and many limit withdrawals, typically 5% of the fund’s value each quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
"You have to invest more money, undertake much greater maintenance efforts, and that also means more demanding technical requirements," Juan Carlos Guajardo, founder of the Chilean consultancy Plusmining, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Through his law practice, McKissick also emerged as the leader of the fight to desegregate Durham's public schools, guiding black parents through the maze of requirements devised by the school board to delay integration.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
