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.

---

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

---

requirement Idioms  

1. see meet the requirements.

---

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

It wants to ditch its profit requirement for IPOs big enough to make the top 100 by value, while retaining it for other companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

While ID is commonly required for specific restaurant-related activities — such as purchasing alcohol or entering age-restricted venues — there is no general requirement to present identification simply to eat at a restaurant.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

But the proposed new rule would exempt megacap companies from that requirement.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

The government has committed to further reforms to the House of Lords, including the introduction of a participation requirement for members and a retirement age.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

This requirement would have seemed to doom the enterprise, because the Botocudo no longer exist.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

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