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:
Thomas read into that the requirement that their parents be domiciled here.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
The deciding factor was a logistical requirement: seamless access by air and sea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The Welsh government said: "While paper passports remain a legal requirement, we recognise the opportunities digital technologies may offer to strengthen equine identification records."
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
This is often referred to as the “case within a case” requirement for these kinds of malpractice suits.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
Just as there is no law requiring informed consent for storing tissues for research, there is no clear requirement for telling donors when their tissues might result in profits.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Bernstein’s Mark Moerdler wrote in a Wednesday note that investors have concerns about the company’s profitability and ability to meet the cash requirements needed to fund its long-term and noncancelable contract commitments.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
It introduces new eligibility requirements for presidential candidates, including a provision requiring them to have lived continuously in Guinea-Bissau for the five years before an election.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
However, lawmakers did pass several bills this year to help fire victims navigate burdensome insurance requirements in the aftermath of a disaster and increase prevention efforts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The disclosure said the system was built under constantly changing requirements and received only a fraction of the testing normally required for a major information technology project.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
No job description meant no job requirements, and this gave me the freedom to choose my agenda.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
