1
as in to require
to have as a requirement
a national crisis that needs a strong leader to solve it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lack
a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful
when it came time to wrap the presents, he found he was in need of adhesive tape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
got a job that barely provided for his basic needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obligation
something one must do because of prior agreement
no need to apologize
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
donating money to help those in need
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of need
Brayden Garcia
january 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
This is to some extent a consequence of how quickly the government had to act in the face of that emergency, a catch-22 between ensuring that the money would be going to actually help people who needed it and having to get billions out the door at lightning-speed.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Dev is a Formula 1 driver and is in desperate need of a PR manager, so Willow deftly steps in.
—Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for need
Verb
Rodeo tickets Tickets are needed for each rodeo event at Dickies Arena and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.
—Brayden Garcia
january 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
This is to some extent a consequence of how quickly the government had to act in the face of that emergency, a catch-22 between ensuring that the money would be going to actually help people who needed it and having to get billions out the door at lightning-speed.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
In 1940, responding to the needs of workers building oil pipelines in Alaska, the Arctic parka was born — designed to withstand extreme temperatures and another signature garment for the brand.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Dev is a Formula 1 driver and is in desperate need of a PR manager, so Willow deftly steps in.
—Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for need
Recent Examples of Synonyms for need
Verb
-
If a development project met certain standards set by the state, local officials would be required to approve it.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The length of cold required to break dormancy in any particular tree species depends on both the length of typical winter and the variability of winter temperature patterns where a species evolved.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The block party is free, but people who want to attend must RSVP.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
This fundamental issue, combined with inadequate training periods and lack of performance accountability, has created an officiating system that struggles to meet the demands of a multibillion-dollar league.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Industry partners say physically accurate simulation helps overcome the lack of diverse robotics data.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Indensity adapts to real-world places—rising vertically next to communities, businesses, and high-value assets—without the sprawling land requirements of traditional grid-scale storage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Since the pandemic years, parts of Western Norway including Bergen and Stavanger have all seen local protests and political debates over cruise limits, shore power requirements and passenger caps.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Those include obligations to stay in Switzerland, deposit his identity documents with prosecutors and report to police every day.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The loan was structured to finance these renovations retroactively, so the owners could reduce their senior loan obligations, another benefit of the C-PACE product.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The funding went toward three federal programs, two of which focus on lifting families with children out of poverty.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
As a group, Native Americans face high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and mental illness — all are risk factors for addiction.—
Katheryn Houghton,
NPR,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
People don’t just want to belong to organizations.—
William Arruda,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
And Williams does want to learn more about them, not just as individuals but as communities, too.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Usually, before a major storm, people race to pick up necessities like groceries, paper goods, and salt.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
At Walmart, the chain has been preparing stores and clubs to help ensure our communities have access to essential items like blankets, batteries, and other cold-weather necessities, said Mark Rickel, spokesperson for the company.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Need.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/need. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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