requisition

American  

[rek-wuh-zish-uhn] / ˌrɛk wəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

• requisitions
  plural

1. the act of requiring or demanding.

2. a demand made.

3. an authoritative or formal demand for something to be done, given, supplied, etc..

   The general issued a requisition to the townspeople for eight trucks.

4. a written request or order for something, as supplies.

5. the form on which such an order is drawn up.

6. the state of being required for use or called into service.

   to put something in requisition.

7. a requirement or essential condition.

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verb (used with object)

• requisitions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• requisitioned,
  past participle,  past
• requisitioning
  present participle

1. to require or take for use; press into service.

2. to demand or take, as by authority, for military purposes, public needs, etc..

   to requisition supplies.

requisition British  

/ ˌrɛkwɪˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. a request or demand, esp an authoritative or formal one

2. an official form on which such a demand is made

3. the act of taking something over, esp temporarily for military or public use in time of emergency

4. a necessary or essential condition; requisite

5. a formal request by one government to another for the surrender of a fugitive from justice

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verb

1. to demand and take for use or service, esp by military or public authority

2. (may take an infinitive) to require (someone) formally to do (something)

   to requisition a soldier to drive a staff officer's car

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrequisition
  noun
• requisitioner
  noun
• requisitionist
  noun
• requisitionary
  adjective
• unrequisitioned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• requisitions
  plural

Participles

• requisitioning
  present
• requisitioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• requisition
  simple
• requisitions
  simple
• have requisitioned
  perfect
• has requisitioned
  perfect
• am requisitioning
  progressive
• are requisitioning
  progressive
• is requisitioning
  progressive
• have been requisitioning
  perfect progressive
• has been requisitioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• requisitioned
  simple
• had requisitioned
  perfect
• was requisitioning
  progressive
• were requisitioning
  progressive
• had been requisitioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will requisition
  simple
• will have requisitioned
  perfect
• will be requisitioning
  progressive
• will have been requisitioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of requisition

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin requīsītiōn- (stem of requīsītiō ) a searching, equivalent to Latin requīsīt ( us ) requisite + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Requisition is a very official-sounding word that usually means "to take or seize." We're sorry that your luxury suite has been requisitioned by the mayor's office. No, we have no idea what he's doing in there. Requisition looks a little like "request" and, in fact, it comes from the Old French word meaning exactly that. It can still be used that way, like when you make a requisition for a new office desk because the old one has three broken drawers. If a police officer requisitions your car for use in a high speed chase, it will initially require less paperwork.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

requisition requisitions requisitioned requisitioning

The case manager has to make a requisition, and that often follows a negotiation with the client.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2025

During Mrs Johnson Wahl's stay, she painted dozens of pieces depicting life at the hospital and upon her discharge went on to requisition a boardroom at the facility to exhibit her work.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2024

The requisition is for three employees per shift and is valid for 48 hours as needed, the French energy ministry said.

From Reuters ● Mar. 21, 2023

United said in an emailed statement that it receives “thousands of applications whenever we open up a requisition, and are only able to keep it open for a few days due to interest!”

From Washington Post ● Oct. 5, 2022

We got Gearhart to requisition some gloves and baseballs from battalion supply.

From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers

After launching requisitions at some refineries to get gas back into tanks, government officials said it plans more as soon as Tuesday.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2022

Fearful of simmering Ukrainian nationalism, Stalin applied economic “sanctions” to regions that could not fulfill government requisitions.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2022

Just three months before her death, she was recognized with an award for her attention to detail and expertise in tracking and reconciling some $400,000 worth of open supply requisitions.

From Reuters ● Sep. 11, 2021

Recalling the colonies’ proposed alternative to the Stamp Act, the Articles allowed Congress to raise money by asking states for voluntary contributions, or requisitions, based on their land values.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 18, 2018

But for a while, I worked there in the Dover Street Yard, helping to load food requisitions onto the trains.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

The author describes how in June 1940 the Nazis requisitioned the hotel to be the home of the Abwehr, the more civilized part of the intelligence services, at least compared with the Gestapo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

The troops are requisitioned, the destroyers in place, the full moon just right, the secrecy of the invasion delicate.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

Large residences in the area were requisitioned by M23 leaders after they seized the city.

From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026

The vessel was requisitioned by the British Admiralty during the war to serve as a hospital ship.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2025

Both of Dympna’s planes were requisitioned by the Air Ministry for communications, and she was mad as a cat about it.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

The official also said Russia is requisitioning equipment due to be delivered by its defence industry to other countries.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2024

Energy ministry data on Saturday showed 27.3% of French petrol stations were facing supply problems, down from 28.5% the previous day and 30.85% on Wednesday, when requisitioning started.

From Reuters ● Oct. 16, 2022

She added: “The employer ignored the spirit of my directive by unilaterally requisitioning the installation of a postal mailbox.”

From New York Times ● Nov. 29, 2021

Authorities are requisitioning all face masks to reserve them for those infected with the virus and health workers, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

From Fox News ● Mar. 11, 2020

The warehouse keeper, busy counting out some spare engine parts to a requisitioning sergeant of the Guard, looked up briefly from his clipboard.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman