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:
That means that relinquishing U.S. citizenship is a choice, not a requirement.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Reaching this threshold is a fundamental requirement for operating a conventional nuclear reactor.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Franco-German deal scraps the latter requirement stating that residual emissions should not have to be compensated by manufacturers.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
I’ve written about the Whoop band and its maker’s subscription requirement before.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 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
The inquest heard that the 24-year-old was under adult mental health services in Doncaster, but was "highly functioning and independent with no care requirements".
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
They compare weather, cost of living, healthcare, crime statistics, visa requirements and whether to rent or buy.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
He had been under the care of the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust but was "highly functioning and independent with no care requirements", the inquest heard.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Depending on the value of your total foreign assets, other reporting requirements can apply as well.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
If she wanted to ensure their safety, she needed to meet Octavian’s requirements, and Octavian required her to stay alive.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
