requirement

American  

[ri-kwahyuhr-muhnt] / rɪˈkwaɪər mənt /

noun

1. that which is required; a thing demanded or obligatory.

   One of the requirements of the job is accuracy.

2. an act or instance of requiring.

   Synonyms:

   claim, demand, directive, injunction, command, order

3. a need or necessity.

   to meet the requirements of daily life.

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requirement British  

/ rɪˈkwaɪəmənt /

noun

1. something demanded or imposed as an obligation

   Latin is no longer a requirement for entry to university

2. a thing desired or needed

3. the act or an instance of requiring

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requirement Idioms  

1. see meet the requirements.

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Usage

What does requirement mean? A requirement is something that’s mandatory or necessary—it’s something you need to have or need to do. Requirement is most often used in official contexts in which achieving a certain status requires you to perform certain actions or have certain things, such as documents. Example: By passing this class you have now met all of the basic requirements for your major and will be able to walk at graduation in May.

Related Words

Requirement, requisite refer to that which is necessary. A requirement is some quality or performance demanded of a person in accordance with certain fixed regulations: requirements for admission to college. A requisite is not imposed from outside; it is a factor which is judged necessary according to the nature of things, or to the circumstances of the case: Efficiency is a requisite for success in business. Requisite may also refer to a concrete object judged necessary: the requisites for perfect grooming.

Other Word Forms

• nonrequirement noun
• prerequirement noun
• superrequirement noun

Etymology

Origin of requirement

First recorded in 1520–30; require + -ment

Explanation

Necessary, inescapable, and non-negotiable, a requirement is something that must be done, like the dishes. Speaking politely to your grandparents may be a requirement of living in your parents' house. Requirements can be imposed by an authority. For example, in college, it is usually a requirement that you study math, English, and history, before you go on to get your degree in underwater basket weaving. We can also speak of the requirements of a living system: your body requires water to stay alive; light is a requirement of photosynthesis.

Example Sentences

Congress is given the power to “raise and support Armies,” but that power is hedged with limits, including the requirement that appropriations for the army be renewed every two years.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

"The advice of the independent report investigator, and a legal advisor, was that there was no requirement to stand down the member of staff during or after the investigation," it continued.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The fact that an adviser has a minimum asset requirement does not make that adviser superior.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

"We share the same conviction -- in the face of the world's fractures, action for peace is a duty and a requirement," Macron wrote on X.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Joe says it is impossible to hate them, at a time in life when hating your parents starts feeling like a requirement.

From "The Misfits" by James Howe

Related Words

• concern
• condition
• demand
• need
• obligation
• precondition
• prerequisite
• provision
• qualification
• specification
• stipulation