requirement
Americannoun
-
something demanded or imposed as an obligation
Latin is no longer a requirement for entry to university
-
a thing desired or needed
-
the act or an instance of requiring
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.
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of requirement
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.
Vocabulary lists containing requirement
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 81-90
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Supreme Court healthcare ruling
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"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1
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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:
One might question Mr. Damasio’s requirement that consciousness requires a nervous system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Because plate tectonics drives much of that recycling on Earth, scientists have often viewed it as an important requirement for creating and maintaining habitable conditions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
Or the city could sell the entire stadium site to the highest bidder, with no requirement that the winner keep a ballpark on the property.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
However, this is predominantly where there is a risk of flooding not as a drought-prevention measure - and there is no legal requirement to have them.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
One requirement has always been that the Hole, wherever it is, have a door so that I can shut it.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
However, approximately 22 states require economics for graduation, although some states, including Texas and California, replaced economics requirements with personal finance.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
To maintain nonprofit status, which allows donations to be tax-deductible, organizations must follow IRS rules on lobbying, political campaign activity and annual reporting requirements, as well as other obligations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Charging stations with town-sized electricity requirements were feasible in a country where power demand was already growing fast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
The regulator said that while the company had followed all the correct procedures it had now "obtained the flight data recording downloads as well as other additional requirements" for further analysis.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
While other states have caps of more than a million dollars, and many have no cap at all, several states impose onerous eligibility requirements.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
