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.

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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

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requirement Idioms  

1. see meet the requirements.

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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

The city of L.A. also waived a requirement that new homes be all-electric.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Scrapping the requirement could encourage small-dollar investors to get even more active in markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Duggan's lawyer had earlier argued that Australia should oppose the extradition because it did not have an equivalent law covering the US charges, which is a requirement of extradition requests.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

“The new intraday margin requirement retains the protections of the current rule in requiring customers to post additional margin to cover intraday leverage.”

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Also, attending class became the requirement for the weekend trips to the city.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

Related Words

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