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.

See Examples For:

have to

Governments therefore have to decide which capabilities they are comfortable buying from overseas providers or allies.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Katz recommended Junger get fired so she would “not have to pay out.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

We shouldn’t even have to think about that.

From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026

The U.S. companies can supply some of their own components, while Toshiba will have to depend on other companies to be able to keep up with its demand.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

“All the important things are carefully watched. I have to take chances.”

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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