demand
Americanverb (used with object)
-
demands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
demanded,
past participle, past
-
demanding
present participle
-
to ask for with proper authority; claim as a right.
He demanded payment of the debt.
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to ask for peremptorily or urgently.
He demanded sanctuary. She demanded that we let her in.
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to call for or require as just, proper, or necessary.
This task demands patience. Justice demands objectivity.
- Synonyms:
- exact
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Law.
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to lay formal legal claim to.
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to summon, as to court.
-
verb (used without object)
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demands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
demanded,
past participle, past
-
demanding
present participle
noun
-
demands
plural
-
the act of demanding.
-
something that is demanded.
-
an urgent or pressing requirement.
demands upon one's time.
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Economics.
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the desire to purchase, coupled with the power to do so.
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the quantity of goods that buyers will take at a particular price.
-
-
a requisition; a legal claim.
The demands of the client could not be met.
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the state of being wanted or sought for purchase or use.
an article in great demand.
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Archaic. inquiry; question.
idioms
verb
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to request peremptorily or urgently
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to require or need as just, urgent, etc
the situation demands attention
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to claim as a right; exact
his parents demanded obedience of him
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law to make a formal legal claim to (property, esp realty)
noun
-
an urgent or peremptory requirement or request
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something that requires special effort or sacrifice
a demand on one's time
-
the act of demanding something or the thing demanded
the kidnappers' demand was a million pounds
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an insistent question or query
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economics
-
willingness and ability to purchase goods and services
-
the amount of a commodity that consumers are willing and able to purchase at a specified price Compare supply 1
-
-
law a formal legal claim, esp to real property
-
sought after; popular
-
as soon as requested
a draft payable on demand
Synonym Usage
Demand, claim, require imply making an authoritative request. To demand is to ask in a bold, authoritative way: to demand an explanation. To claim is to assert a right to something: He claimed it as his due. To require is to ask for something as being necessary; to compel: The Army requires absolute obedience of its soldiers.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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counterdemandnoun
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demandernoun
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superdemandnoun
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overdemandverb
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predemandverb (used with object)
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demandableadjective
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undemandedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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demandsimple
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demandssimple
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have demandedperfect
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has demandedperfect
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am demandingprogressive
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are demandingprogressive
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is demandingprogressive
-
have been demandingperfect progressive
-
has been demandingperfect progressive
Past
-
demandedsimple
-
had demandedperfect
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was demandingprogressive
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were demandingprogressive
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had been demandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of demand
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English demaunden, from Anglo-French demaunder, from Medieval Latin dēmandāre “to demand,” Latin “to entrust,” equivalent to dē- negative prefix + mandāre “to commission, order”; see de-, mandate
Explanation
Demand means "an urgent request," like your demand that teachers give no homework on the weekend, or the act of making the request — teachers who demand that the work get done, even if it's the weekend. Demand comes from the Old French word demander, meaning "ask, make inquiry." A demand is a lot stronger than that, however. When you demand something, you want action now. A demand can also mean "to require" like cold weather that demands warm coats and boots. Demand is also an economic term, meaning "the amount of an item that can be sold," like the demand for those snow boots: high in winter and nonexistent in summer.
Vocabulary lists containing demand
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The Industrial Revolution - Introductory
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 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:
Samsung Electronics posted its fourth straight quarter of record earnings as AI demand kept memory chips scarce, with next year’s supply already sold out and tightness expected through 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
STMicroelectronics expects rising demand for data centers and satellite communication to fuel its growth.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Levanon contends rapid advances in AI will stunt demand, perhaps permanently, for the sort of white-collar administrative work that used to be the first rung on the ladder for college graduates.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
A measure of underlying demand that carves out more volatile government, inventory and international trade numbers also strengthened.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
He wanted to pound on the table and demand that every National Guard person in the state immediately set off to hunt for Jonathan and Abby.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
"A fragile ecosystem like the Himalaya demands stricter planning and building regulations than elsewhere, yet these rules have been weak and poorly enforced."
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
“The demands on data center infrastructure are evolving faster than ever, and Vertiv’s role in that buildout keeps expanding.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
But given the competing demands on his time, he decided that "it's better... to remain as a fan and continue to fund my own business."
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Student unions welcomed the new measures as a step in the right direction, but pledged to continue the fight until all their demands are met.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Along with sugar and tobacco, rice demands intense, backbreaking labor.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
The chair of the environmental regulator said the results showed the industry continued to "fall well short of the standards rightly demanded by both us and the public".
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Seoul accused Pyongyang of "a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement" and demanded an apology, something the North has mockingly dismissed.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Blevins demanded they never ask for a reservation fee again, which the men agreed to in a handshake deal, people familiar with the interaction said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Complications and byzantine controversies helped stymie the union in its adolescence, with Huerta usually supporting Chávez, even as he became distracted from the union’s central work and demanded absolute power.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
At once scores of voices demanded that they be raised again.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
West Hollywood officials endorsed the unusual scale of the planned project by Los Angeles developer CIM Group as part of the city’s push to comply with state requirements demanding more housing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said he didn't want to give excuses for the defeat but admitted his team lacked fresh legs after a demanding few weeks.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
French student unions are demanding 250,000 new university places, increased financial aid for students, and a massive recruitment drive for school nurses and teachers, among other measures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
This week, thousands demonstrated in Caracas and other cities, demanding her return from exile in Panama.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
“Those are the true bandits, demanding our rubles or else! ‘You are out of credit,’ they say.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
