demand

American  

[dih-mand, -mahnd] / dɪˈmænd, -ˈmɑnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to ask for with proper authority; claim as a right.

   He demanded payment of the debt.

2. to ask for peremptorily or urgently.

   He demanded sanctuary. She demanded that we let her in.

3. to call for or require as just, proper, or necessary.

   This task demands patience. Justice demands objectivity.

   Synonyms:

   exact

4. Law.

   1. to lay formal legal claim to.

   2. to summon, as to court.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a demand; inquire; ask.

noun

1. the act of demanding.

2. something that is demanded.

3. an urgent or pressing requirement.

   demands upon one's time.

4. Economics.

   1. the desire to purchase, coupled with the power to do so.

   2. the quantity of goods that buyers will take at a particular price.

5. a requisition; a legal claim.

   The demands of the client could not be met.

6. the state of being wanted or sought for purchase or use.

   an article in great demand.

7. Archaic. inquiry; question.

idioms

1. on demand, upon presentation or request for payment.

   The fee is payable on demand.

demand British  

/ dɪˈmɑːnd /

verb

1. to request peremptorily or urgently

2. to require or need as just, urgent, etc

   the situation demands attention

3. to claim as a right; exact

   his parents demanded obedience of him

4. law to make a formal legal claim to (property, esp realty)

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noun

1. an urgent or peremptory requirement or request

2. something that requires special effort or sacrifice

   a demand on one's time

3. the act of demanding something or the thing demanded

   the kidnappers' demand was a million pounds

4. an insistent question or query

5. economics

   1. willingness and ability to purchase goods and services

   2. the amount of a commodity that consumers are willing and able to purchase at a specified price Compare supply 1

6. law a formal legal claim, esp to real property

7. sought after; popular

8. as soon as requested

   a draft payable on demand

demand Cultural  

1. The amount of any given commodity that people are ready and able to buy at a given time for a given price. (See supply and demand.)

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demand More Idioms  

1. see in demand; make demands on; on demand.

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Related Words

Demand, claim, require imply making an authoritative request. To demand is to ask in a bold, authoritative way: to demand an explanation. To claim is to assert a right to something: He claimed it as his due. To require is to ask for something as being necessary; to compel: The Army requires absolute obedience of its soldiers.

Other Word Forms

• counterdemand noun
• demandable adjective
• demander noun
• overdemand verb
• predemand verb (used with object)
• superdemand noun
• undemanded adjective

Etymology

Origin of demand

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English demaunden, from Anglo-French demaunder, from Medieval Latin dēmandāre “to demand,” Latin “to entrust,” equivalent to dē- negative prefix + mandāre “to commission, order”; de-, mandate

Explanation

Demand means "an urgent request," like your demand that teachers give no homework on the weekend, or the act of making the request — teachers who demand that the work get done, even if it's the weekend. Demand comes from the Old French word demander, meaning "ask, make inquiry." A demand is a lot stronger than that, however. When you demand something, you want action now. A demand can also mean "to require" like cold weather that demands warm coats and boots. Demand is also an economic term, meaning "the amount of an item that can be sold," like the demand for those snow boots: high in winter and nonexistent in summer.

Example Sentences

“We’re genuinely trying to balance keeping rides affordable enough that demand stays strong, while making sure the people doing the work are compensated fairly,” Bird said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

It’s part of a broader shift toward building new demand engines as exports and investments lose some of their punch.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Data from Vanda Research and others have shown that retail buying has been subdued lately, robbing the market of what had become a critical source of demand for stocks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

The upshot, he said: “More demand, stronger pricing and a new type of traveler entering the market almost overnight.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

But the American demand for field workers and household servants surged, especially in places like South Carolina, where rice production was booming.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• appeal
• challenge
• claim
• expect
• force
• order
• press
• question
• request
• require
• stipulate
• urge