have to

Idioms  

1. Also, have got to. Be obliged to, must. For example, We have to go now, or He has got to finish the paper today. The use of have as an auxiliary verb to indicate obligation goes back to the 16th century; the variant using got dates from the mid-1800s.

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Example Sentences

"So the assumption by Nato and the Americans is we're going to have to plot our way towards that," Lord Robertson said.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

Now, officials will have to decide whether Pochettino is still the right man to lead the Americans in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup—and that’s if Pochettino wants to stick around that long.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

He certainly did not have to have his children taken out of their home overnight without a court order.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

The average cost to attend a wedding is now $610, and it goes up to $1,680 if you have to travel by plane, according to data from the wedding site the Knot.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026

“If—I mean when—I prove that it’s a real place, you guys have to play ‘Your Valentine Card’ as our opening song,” I say.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith