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:
I suppose the only thing that would keep Tennessee from trying again is that there is a competency requirement for execution.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
The vast majority of degree programs across the country meet this requirement, according to two new analyses.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
That requirement ruled out the two most recognisable Korean acts in America, BTS and Blackpink, whose latest releases are primarily sung in English.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Part D is a government requirement for anyone over 65 who doesn’t have what is called “creditable” drug insurance at work, and skipping it can inflict a penalty for life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
They were nice to me in the way that most people were, like it was a requirement because of who my mom was, but they were a far cry from friends.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Georgetown’s Marguerite Roza says income-verification requirements may deter public-school students from applying for funds, since they’re more likely to use it for small-dollar fees and it may not be worth the paperwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
In a recent American Medical Association survey, 95% of physicians said they’ve seen prior authorization requirements delay necessary care.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
And unexpected weight restrictions can crop up due to weather, runway changes or fuel requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It also contends that its messaging and image-sharing apps should not have to face additional requirements under the OSA, such as tackling paid-for fraud ads.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Teller, irrepressibly voluble on his favorite subject, joined them for the drive back to Albuquerque, prattling all the way about the essential requirements of a program to build the Super.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
