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Synonyms

needs

American  
[needz] / nidz /

adverb

  1. of necessity; necessarily (usually preceded or followed bymust ).

    It must needs be so.

    It needs must be.


needs British  
/ niːdz /

adverb

  1. (preceded or foll by must) of necessity

    we must needs go

    we will go, if needs must

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

plural noun

  1. what is required; necessities

    the needs of the third world

    his needs are modest

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of needs

First recorded before 1000; Middle English nedis, Old English nēdes, originally genitive of nēd need; -s 1

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.

Bijou Phillips needs a kidney donor and she’s asking the public for help.

From Los Angeles Times

All he needs is for someone to slip and fall.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The Chancellor needs to stop just talking the talk and start walking the walk."

From BBC

"I think it needs somebody who's prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out," he added.

From BBC

Even if the company overshoots its needs, it would “simply grow into the capacity over time,” he added.

From MarketWatch