Meanings
need1
plural needs
- countableuncountableA requirement for something; something needed.
Our instant needs are not being met.
5 more examples
There's no need to speculate; we can easily find out for sure.
She grew irritated with his constant need for attention.
I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter.
Being so great, I have no need to beg.
1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]Be governed by your needs, not by your fancy.
1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC - countableuncountableA desire or craving for the satisfaction of a requirement perceived as essential or primal.
- countableuncountableLack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.
Famine is in thy cheeks; Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes.
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]
need2
present singular third person needs · participle present needing · participle past needed · past needed · first person past singular needed · archaic present second person singular needest · past second person singular needed · archaic past second person singular neededst · present singular third person needs · archaic present singular third person needeth · past singular third person needed · past plural needed · past subjunctive needed · participle present needing · participle past needed
- transitiveTo have an absolute requirement for.
Living things need water to survive.
3 more examples
You do not always need to go to the library to study. You may use the Internet.
She needed convincing that I was what she really needed.
Scotland needed a victory by eight points to have a realistic chance of progressing to the knock-out stages, and for long periods of a ferocious contest looked as if they might pull it off.
2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport - transitiveTo want strongly; to feel that one must have something.
After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave.
1 more example
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.
2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4Synonyms: desire, wish for, would like, want, will, be without, lack
- modalTo be obliged or required (to do something).
I need not go if I don't want to, need I?
2 more examples
I was wondering if I need fill in more forms. - No, that's the only one you need fill out.
I need never have packed my set of sunglasses - it rained all day every day.
- intransitiveTo be required; to be necessary.
When we have done it, we have done our duty, and all that is in our power, and indeed all that needs.
1694, [John Locke], chapter 21, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Thomas Dring, […]; and Samuel Manship, […], →OCLC, book II, page 1431 more example
Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.
2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21 - obsoletetransitiveTo be necessary (to someone).
More ample spirit, then hitherto was wount, / Here needes me […]
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo want strongly; to feel that one must have something.
require
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
nouna state of extreme poverty or destitution
verbrequire as useful, just, or proper
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
need · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*neh₂w-
- Proto-Germanic*naudiz
- Proto-West Germanic*naudi
- Old Englishnīed
- Middle Englishnede
- Englishneed
From Middle English nede, a merger of two terms: * Old English nīed (West Saxon), nēd (Mercian), nēad (“necessity, compulsion, want”), from Proto-West Germanic *naudi, from Proto-Germanic *naudiz, from Proto-Indo-European *neh₂w- (“death”). * Old English nēod (“desire, longing”), from Proto-West Germanic *niudi (“desire, eagerness”), from Proto-Indo-European *new- (“to incline, tend, move, push, nod, wave”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →need · verb
- Proto-West Germanic*niudi
- Old Englishnēod
- Old Englishnēodian
- Middle Englishneden
- Englishneed
From Middle English neden, from Old English nēodian.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans need
- needsomething required
Ancient Greek χρεία, χρεία
- χρεία (khreía)something required
- χρεία (khreía)lack of means of subsistence
- χρῄζω (khrēízō)to have an absolute requirement for
- δέω (déō)to have an absolute requirement for
- δέω (déō)to want strongly
Arabic حَاجَة, ضَرُورَة
- حَاجَة (ḥāja)something required
- ضَرُورَة (ḍarūra)something required
- اِحْتِيَاج (iḥtiyāj)something required
- اِحْتَاجَ (iḥtāja)to have an absolute requirement for
- اِحْتَاجَ (iḥtāja)to want strongly
Basque behar, behar
- beharsomething required
- beharto have an absolute requirement for
Bengali দরকার, প্রয়োজন
- দরকার (dôrkar)something required
- প্রয়োজন (proẏōjon)something required
Bulgarian ну́жда, потре́бност
- ну́жда (núžda)something required
- потре́бност (potrébnost)something required
- необходи́мост (neobhodímost)something required
- бе́дност (bédnost)lack of means of subsistence
- тря́бва (trjábva)to have an absolute requirement for
- нужда́я се (nuždája se)to have an absolute requirement for
- желая (želaja)to want strongly
- трябва (trjabva)to be obliged to
- необходимо е (neobhodimo e)to be required or necessary
Catalan necessitat, necessitat
- necessitatsomething required
- necessitatlack of means of subsistence
- necessitarto have an absolute requirement for
- requerirto have an absolute requirement for
- haver deto be obliged to
- caldreto be obliged to
Chinese Mandarin 需求, 需要
- 需求 (xūqiú)something required
- 需要 (xūyào)to have an absolute requirement for
- 需要 (xūyào)to want strongly
- 要 (yào)to want strongly
- 必要 (bìyào)to be obliged to
- 必需 (bìxū)to be obliged to
- 得 (děi)to be obliged to
Czech potřeba, potřebovat
- potřebasomething required
- potřebovatto have an absolute requirement for
Danish behov, nød
- behovsomething required
- nødlack of means of subsistence
- behøveto have an absolute requirement for
- kræveto have an absolute requirement for
- have brug forto have an absolute requirement for
- behøveto want strongly
- behøveto be obliged to
Dutch behoefte, nood
- behoeftesomething required
- noodlack of means of subsistence
- vereisento have an absolute requirement for
- nodig hebbento have an absolute requirement for
- behoevento have an absolute requirement for
- benodigento have an absolute requirement for
- moeten hebbento want strongly
- moetento be obliged to
- nodig zijnto be required or necessary
Esperanto bezono, bezonaĵo
- bezonosomething required
- bezonaĵosomething required
- senhavecolack of means of subsistence
- bezonito have an absolute requirement for
- bezonito want strongly
- devito be obliged to
- devito be required or necessary
Estonian vajama, pidama
- vajamato have an absolute requirement for
- pidamato have an absolute requirement for
Finnish tarve, syy
- tarvesomething required
- syysomething required
- puutelack of means of subsistence
- köyhyyslack of means of subsistence
- tarvitato have an absolute requirement for
- vaatiato have an absolute requirement for
- tarvitato want strongly
- olla pakkoto want strongly
- täytyäto be obliged to
- pitääto be obliged to
- tarvitato be obliged to
- täytyäto be required or necessary
- pitääto be required or necessary
- olla välttämätöntäto be required or necessary
French besoin, nécessité
- besoinsomething required
- nécessitésomething required
- avoir besoin deto have an absolute requirement for
- nécessiterto have an absolute requirement for
- avoir besoin deto want strongly
- être obligé deto be obliged to
- nécessiterto be obliged to
German Notwendigkeit, Bedarf
- Notwendigkeitsomething required
- Bedarfsomething required
- Bedürfnissomething required
- Notlack of means of subsistence
- benötigento have an absolute requirement for
- brauchento have an absolute requirement for
- brauchento want strongly
- müssento be obliged to
Greek ανάγκη, χρειάζομαι
- ανάγκη (anágki)something required
- χρειάζομαι (chreiázomai)to have an absolute requirement for
Hebrew צורך \ צֹרֶךְ, צריך
- צורך \ צֹרֶךְ (tsórekh)something required
- צריך (tsaríkh)to have an absolute requirement for
Hindi आवश्यकता, ज़रूरत
- आवश्यकता (āvaśyaktā)something required
- ज़रूरत (zarūrat)something required
- मुहताज होना (muhtāj honā)to have an absolute requirement for
- ज़रूरत होना (zarūrat honā)to want strongly
Hungarian szükség, szükséglet
- szükségsomething required
- szükségletlack of means of subsistence
- kellto have an absolute requirement for
Icelandic þörf, þurfa
- þörfsomething required
- þurfato have an absolute requirement for
- þurfato be obliged to
Indonesian memerlukan, perlu
- memerlukanto have an absolute requirement for
- perluto want strongly
- perlu, harus, wajibto be obliged to
Irish gá, riachtanas
- gásomething required
- riachtanassomething required
- teastaigh óto have an absolute requirement for
- is gá doto have an absolute requirement for
- teastaigh óto want strongly
- is gá doto want strongly
- caithfidhto be obliged to
Italian bisogno, necessità
- bisognosomething required
- necessitàsomething required
- requisitosomething required
- esigenzasomething required
- indigenzalack of means of subsistence
- avere bisogno dito have an absolute requirement for
- necessitareto be obliged to
Japanese 必要, 必要する
- 必要 (hitsuyō)something required
- 必要する (hitsuyōto-surú)to have an absolute requirement for
- ...が必要 (...ga hitsuyō)to have an absolute requirement for
- 要る (iru)to have an absolute requirement for
- 要る (iru)to want strongly
- しなければいけない (shinakereba ikenai)to be obliged to
- 義務がある (gimu ga aru)to be obliged to
Korean 필요, 필요하다
- 필요 (piryo)something required
- 필요하다 (piryohada)to have an absolute requirement for
- 요하다 (yohada)to have an absolute requirement for
- 필요하다 (piryohada)to want strongly
- 요하다 (yohada)to want strongly
Latin necessitudo, necessitas
- necessitudosomething required
- necessitassomething required
- opussomething required
- egeōto have an absolute requirement for
- requīrōto have an absolute requirement for
- desiderōto have an absolute requirement for
- desideroto want strongly
- obligorto be obliged to
- debeoto be obliged to
Latvian vajadzība, vajadzēt
- vajadzībasomething required
- vajadzētto have an absolute requirement for
Lithuanian reikėti
- reikėtito have an absolute requirement for
Malay keperluan, perlu
- keperluansomething required
- perluto have an absolute requirement for
- memerlukanto want strongly
Māori matea
- mateato have an absolute requirement for
Norwegian trenge, trenge
- trengeto have an absolute requirement for
- trengeto want strongly
Persian نیاز, ضرورت
- نیاز (niyâz)something required
- ضرورت (zarurat)something required
- احتیاج (ehteyâj)something required
- احتیاج داشتن (ehtiyâj dâštan)to have an absolute requirement for
- نیاز داشتن (niyâz dâštan)to have an absolute requirement for
- لازم داشتن (lâzem dâštan)to have an absolute requirement for
- کسر داشتن (kasr dâštan)to have an absolute requirement for
- احتیاج داشتن (ehtiyâj dâštan)to want strongly
- نیاز داشتن (niyâz dâštan)to want strongly
Polish potrzeba, potrzeba
- potrzebasomething required
- potrzebalack of means of subsistence
- potrzebowaćto have an absolute requirement for
Portuguese necessidade, necessidade
- necessidadesomething required
- necessidadelack of means of subsistence
- precisarto have an absolute requirement for
- necessitarto have an absolute requirement for
- precisarto want strongly
- precisarto be obliged to
- necessitarto be obliged to
Romanian necesitate, cerință
- necesitatesomething required
- cerințăsomething required
- nevoiesomething required
- trebuito have an absolute requirement for
- avea nevoie deto have an absolute requirement for
- trebuito be obliged to
Russian нужда́, потре́бность
- нужда́ (nuždá)something required
- потре́бность (potrébnostʹ)something required
- необходи́мость (neobxodímostʹ)something required
- потре́ба (potréba)something required
- нужда́ться (nuždátʹsja)to have an absolute requirement for
- быть ну́жным (bytʹ núžnym)to have an absolute requirement for
- тре́боваться (trébovatʹsja)to have an absolute requirement for
Scottish Gaelic feum
- feumsomething required
Slovak potreba, potrebovať
- potrebasomething required
- potrebovaťto have an absolute requirement for
Spanish necesidad, menesteres
- necesidadsomething required
- menesteressomething required
- necesidadlack of means of subsistence
- egestadlack of means of subsistence
- necesitar/precisar (de)to have an absolute requirement for
- hacer(le) falta (a)to have an absolute requirement for
- ocuparto have an absolute requirement for
- necesitar/precisar (de)to want strongly
- hacer(le) falta (a)to want strongly
- necesitarto be obliged to
- ser necesario queto be obliged to
Swahili uhitaji, haja
- uhitajisomething required
- hajasomething required
- -hitajito have an absolute requirement for
Swedish behov, nöd
- behovsomething required
- nödlack of means of subsistence
- behövato have an absolute requirement for
- måsteto be obliged to
- nödgasto be obliged to
Tagalog pangangailangan, kailangan
- pangangailangansomething required
- kailangansomething required
- mangailanganto have an absolute requirement for
- kailanganinto have an absolute requirement for
Tamil தேவை
- தேவை (tēvai)something required
Thai ต้องการ, จำเป็น
- ต้องการ (dtɔ̂ng-gaan)to have an absolute requirement for
- จำเป็น (jam-bpen)to be obliged to
Turkish gereksinim, ihtiyaç
- gereksinimsomething required
- ihtiyaçsomething required
- eksiksomething required
- gerekliliksomething required
- gereksinmekto have an absolute requirement for
- gereksinim duymakto have an absolute requirement for
- gereksinimi olmakto have an absolute requirement for
- ihtiyaç duymakto have an absolute requirement for
- ihtiyacı olmakto have an absolute requirement for
- lazım olmakto have an absolute requirement for
- gerekmekto have an absolute requirement for
- zorunda olmakto be obliged to
- lazım olmakto be obliged to
- gerekmekto be obliged to
- -melito be obliged to
- -malıto be obliged to
Ukrainian нужда́, потре́ба
- нужда́ (nuždá)something required
- потре́ба (potréba)something required
- необхі́дність (neobxídnistʹ)something required
- ну́жа (núža)something required
- потребува́ти (potrebuváty)to have an absolute requirement for
Urdu ضرورت
- ضرورت (zarūrat)something required
Vietnamese nhu cầu, cần
- nhu cầusomething required
- cầnto have an absolute requirement for
- cầnto want strongly
- muốnto want strongly
- cần phảito be obliged to
Yiddish באַדאַרף, דאַרפֿן
- באַדאַרף (badarf)something required
- דאַרפֿן (darfn)to have an absolute requirement for
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with need
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
need. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/need
“need.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/need. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “need,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/need.
Source: need on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.