require

verb

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re·quire | \ ri-ˈkwī(-ə)r

required; requiring

Definition of require

transitive verb

1a : to claim or ask for by right and authority

b archaic : request

2a : to call for as suitable or appropriate the occasion requires formal dress

b : to demand as necessary or essential : have a compelling need for all living beings require food

3 : to impose a compulsion or command on : compel

4 chiefly British : to feel or be obliged —used with a following infinitiveone does not require to be a specialist— Elizabeth Bowen

intransitive verb

archaic : ask

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about require

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Choose the Right Synonym for require

demand, claim, require, exact mean to ask or call for something as due or as necessary. demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands. demanded payment of the debt claim implies a demand for the delivery or concession of something due as one's own or one's right. claimed the right to manage his own affairs require suggests the imperativeness that arises from inner necessity, compulsion of law or regulation, or the exigencies of the situation. the patient requires constant attention exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands. exacts absolute loyalty

Examples of require in a Sentence

the toy requires four batteries, which are not included

Recent Examples on the Web The school said all players on those squads and their coaches had enough contact with the player to require a self-quarantine. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Eviction problems, student pushback, coastal rental boom: News from around our 50 states," 9 Sep. 2020 California’s infamous law that aims to require Uber, Lyft, and others to classify their contractors as employees had a bevy of unintended consequences. — Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, "The complaints of the entitled workers of Silicon Valley," 8 Sep. 2020 Earlier this summer, Britain amended its official travel advisories to require similar measures for all travelers returning from France, prompting some people to rush home from vacation early and wreaking havoc on the tourism industry. — Washington Post, "Live updates: U.S. cases nearly quadrupled during summer season," 8 Sep. 2020 In June, several Saharan outbreaks brought enough dust to southwestern Louisiana to require air pollution warnings. — Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, "Why did Hurricane Laura rapidly intensify? Mix of weather patterns, a dash of global warming," 7 Sep. 2020 After quarterback Tom Brady’s 20 seasons of excellence in New England, expect his arrival in Tampa Bay to require an adjustment period throughout the NFL. — Edgar Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, "Tom Brady brings instant credibility, winning attitude to Bucs," 5 Sep. 2020 Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Friday’s report was good news but that the economy was likely to require low interest rates for years. — Sarah Chaney, WSJ, "U.S. Unemployment Rate Fell to 8.4% in August as Hiring Continued," 4 Sep. 2020 The operation of the hood release on the key fob will be modified, and the release button located inside the front trunk compartment will also be modified to require a longer press-time. — Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, "2020 Corvette: Front trunk may pop open, block driver's view of road," 4 Sep. 2020 The first, which resulted in $150,000 in fines last fall, was over the state’s failure to require nighttime adult supervision in all group foster homes. — Robert T. Garrett, Dallas News, "Federal judge ‘concerned’ over high rate of COVID-19 among Texas foster children," 4 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'require.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.