Synonyms of needed

needed 1 of 2

adjective

as in necessary

impossible to do without

pack only what will be needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• necessary
• required
• essential
• needful
• integral
• vital
• imperative
• critical
• crucial
• important
• requisite
• must-have
• indispensable
• all-important
• mandatory
• of the essence
• compulsory
• prerequisite
• basic
• key
• necessitous
• urgent
• major
• meaningful
• fundamental
• obligatory
• organic
• substantial
• significant
• momentous
• central
• pressing
• persistent
• insistent
• consequential
• nonelective
• material
• weighty

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unnecessary
• needless
• nonessential
• extra
• unwanted
• unneeded
• undesired
• dispensable
• unimportant
• insignificant
• excess
• external
• unessential
• superfluous
• inessential
• surplus
• inconsequential
• extraneous

needed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of need

as in required

to have as a requirement

a national crisis that needs a strong leader to solve it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• required
• wanted
• took
• demanded
• involved
• necessitated
• challenged
• claimed
• warranted
• called for
• bore
• asked
• entailed
• begged
• lacked
• insisted
• hurt (for)
• cried (for)
• stipulated
• clamored (for)
• enjoined
• exacted
• pressed
• commanded
• quested

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• had
• held
• owned
• possessed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of needed

Adjective

Schools closed before Isaias swept through the region last Friday and have been scrambling to make needed repairs to facilities while awaiting power restoration. — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Many shelters are operated by nonprofit organizations but owned by the city or private entities, limiting the nonprofit’s ability to make needed improvements. — Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Among the boundaries that have been breached, according to the new report, are carbon dioxide concentrations, which reached a record 426 parts per million (ppm) because fossil fuel burning had not decreased at nearly the needed pace. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026

Attentive leaders explore more diverse, needed and applicable professional development that enables their workforce. — Kellie Lauth, Forbes.com, 21 Sep. 2026

This is the airspace Gillian has carved out for herself in 2026, when her services are extra-needed. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Most schools lack the needed additional teacher support, access to civics training, connection to community, and family engagement, DePaul said. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

But that undertaking, primarily fueled by private dollars, has been waylaid due to getting a needed booster flight-qualified. — Leonard David, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Senior Trey Cooley, who transferred from Troy, and senior Jayden Limar, who ran for 262 yards last season at Oregon, provide needed depth. — Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Verb

Others are skeptical the task force can accomplish much in such a short time period, arguing that eventually sweeping new legislation will be needed to regulate AI. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Items such as the coffee pots, dispensing nozzles for cappuccino and frazil machines must be washed and sanitized as needed. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

In fairness, Florida State still would have needed a 2-point conversion to extend the game even if either of the Hail Mary touchdowns had counted. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

Previously, the incarcerated person needed to contact their town clerk, now the Secretary of State’s office provides applications directly upon request. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Both trends held true, although barely, as the Hurricanes needed two overtimes to survive another upset bid on a day filled with chaotic finishes and upsets. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Expansion also continues at Blue Origin’s Rocket Park where a $330 million building is in the works to support the manufacture of the upper stages needed for its larger New Glenn rockets. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

What if suddenly the family needed something from the nanny that money couldn’t simply buy? — Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

The introduction of Chud Thai is credited with sparking a renaissance in the industries needed to create the silhouettes, such as silk weaving. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2026