Synonyms

have to

Idioms

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

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

“I don’t have to leave the house to buy diapers, groceries, anything she needs.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

But at some point you might have to answer questions from the reporters you’ve been avoiding.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

His “Father of the Year” award, like his Nobel Prize, will have to wait.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

"People have to choose: either we protect water or we eat," Alejandro, a gas station attendant in the mining town of Jachal, two hours east of Calingasta, explained to AFP.

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

Clare would have to draw on every ounce of cunning, patience, and poise.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023