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.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

have to

“We all share this watershed. We all have a responsibility, so we’re going to have to continue to work together and see if we can get to that long-term consensus,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

I can’t believe I have to ask this, but … are they having an affair?

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

You’ll have to trust me when I tell you that she had love, support and opportunities above and beyond what most kids receive.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

However, Davis' lawyer Sanft asked jurors earlier in the trial: "What facts do you have to support any of what Keffe D said in any of his interviews or the book?"

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

So, in order to avoid tendinitis in my pinky, shoulder pain, back pain, and myriad other things, I have to pace myself.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold