need

American  

[need] / nid /

noun

• needs
  plural

1. a requirement, necessary duty, or obligation.

   There is no need for you to go there.

2. a lack of something wanted or deemed necessary.

   to fulfill the needs of the assignment.

3. urgent want, as of something requisite.

   He has no need of your charity.

   Synonyms:

   requirement

4. necessity arising from the circumstances of a situation or case.

   There is no need to worry.

5. a situation or time of difficulty; exigency.

   to help a friend in need;

   to be a friend in need.

   Synonyms:

   emergency

6. a condition marked by the lack of something requisite.

   the need for leadership.

7. destitution; extreme poverty.

   The family's need is acute.

   Synonyms:

   privation, penury, indigence, neediness

   Antonyms:

   wealth

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verb (used with object)

• needs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• needed,
  past participle,  past
• needing
  present participle

1. to have need of; require.

   to need money.

   Synonyms:

   lack, want

verb (used without object)

• needs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• needed,
  past participle,  past
• needing
  present participle

1. to be under an obligation (used as an auxiliary, typically in an interrogative or in a negative statement, and followed by infinitive, in certain cases without to; in the 3d person singular the form is need, notneeds ).

   He need not go.

2. to be in need or want.

3. to be necessary.

   There needs no apology.

idioms

1. if need be, should the necessity arise.

   If need be, I can type the letters myself.

need British  

/ niːd /

verb

1. (tr) to be in want of

   to need money

2. (tr) to require or be required of necessity (to be or do something); be obliged

   to need to do more work

3. (takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary in negative and interrogative sentences to express necessity or obligation, and does not add -s when used with he, she, it, and singular nouns

   need he go?

4. archaic (intr) to be essential or necessary to

   there needs no reason for this

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noun

1. the fact or an instance of feeling the lack of something

   he has need of a new coat

2. a requirement

   the need for vengeance

3. necessity or obligation resulting from some situation

   no need to be frightened

4. distress or extremity

   a friend in need

5. extreme poverty or destitution; penury

need More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing need

• cry for (crying need for).

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Usage

What are other ways to say need? To need something is to have need of it. How does need compare to synonyms want, lack, and require? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Synonym Usage

Need, necessity imply a want, a lack, or a demand, which must be filled. Need, a word of Old English origin, has connotations that make it strong in emotional appeal: the need to be appreciated. Necessity, a word of Latin origin, is more formal and impersonal or objective; though much stronger than need in expressing urgency or imperative demand, it is less effective in appealing to the emotions: Water is a necessity for living things.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• needer
  noun
• unneeded
  adjective
• well-needed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• needs
  plural

Participles

• needing
  present
• needed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• need
  simple
• needs
  simple
• have needed
  perfect
• has needed
  perfect
• am needing
  progressive
• are needing
  progressive
• is needing
  progressive
• have been needing
  perfect progressive
• has been needing
  perfect progressive

Past

• needed
  simple
• had needed
  perfect
• was needing
  progressive
• were needing
  progressive
• had been needing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will need
  simple
• will have needed
  perfect
• will be needing
  progressive
• will have been needing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of need

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun nede, Old English nēd ( West Saxon nīed ), cognate with German Not, Old Norse nauth, Gothic nauths

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Explanation

A need is something essential: people need food, water, and shelter. When you lack them, you're in need. Besides physical needs like sleep, people have lots of psychological needs: like for love and friendship. To pass an exam, you need to study. To lose weight, you need to exercise more and eat less. Drug addicts feel a physical need for their drug — so do smokers. Often, we feel we need things that we actually just want: like a new video game or car. When someone is trying hard to get something, they might say "I need it!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

need needs needed needing

Most important, she accepts the need for a gradual transition and the need to rebuild the country’s courts and electoral institutions before setting an election date.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

"He doesn't need that," the four-time world champion said.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

He also said the company can adjust its rules, noting Amex Platinum cardholders now need to spend $75,000 a year to bring guests into certain lounges free.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

"Users need to think about communications resilience," Bingen said.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

“I’m gonna need you to have a little more shame,” Arlo says when he enters the kitchen and sees me.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

"The game potentially needs an improved standard with TMO," said Mitchell.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

The cells developed a persistent shortage of readily available energy relative to their needs, even as their mitochondria increased their oxygen-consuming activity.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

The stock needs it to work everywhere else.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany needs "protecting from himself" and will take weeks to recover after collapsing at the club's training ground on Friday, said the club's director of sport Max Eberl.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

"Spinach, of course. Don't you remember how Popeye gobbles spinach every time he needs more strength and bigger muscles?"

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

“Scammers recognize this and devote a lot of time to develop the trust needed to exploit the victim.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

England too had to win their last two pool matches but also needed snookers.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

It increased the consumption of energy-rich nutrients and interfered with the cellular machinery needed to develop new fat-storing cells.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

“I knew they were in desperation mode and needed to pass the ball,” Tuverson said after the win.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

But he still needed a lady, a lady to dream about, a lady to receive homage from his defeated enemies.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

But needing to work until you die may be risky.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

"Congress has decided that we should be kept in AGOA. What now remains is the executive," Ramaphosa said, referring to the pact now needing President Donald Trump's signature after approval by Congress.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

Defeats by Everton, Brentford, Chelsea and Tottenham threatened their top-four place last season, with Villa needing late goals to earn a draw against Leeds and claim victories against Brighton and Sunderland.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Some of the appeal is the concept’s accessibility: Fans can play a version without needing to be stranded somewhere à la “Survivor” or stuck in a house for weeks like on “Big Brother.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Like Brie wants Teddy to do— instead of learning to write his name before he’s ready or needing to put every piece of a puzzle in the right place.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

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