needed 1 of 2

Definition of needednext

needed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of need

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of needed
Adjective
This should be a needed breath of fresh air for the Cowboys after a super rough start to the season, but Dallas has lost eight of its last nine contests against the Cardinals dating back to 2006, including four losses in a row. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026 The chance of needed rain and a few storms is increasing and will peak later Wednesday evening. Cutter Martin, CBS News, 13 May 2026 The needed response to climate change is different for each region of the United States and the world. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Funds from discontinued projects would provide needed infrastructure. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Lamont said the bill is a needed update to gun safety laws. Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026 Mulching can help retain needed moisture. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026 Some commenters cheered the new designs and were excited about a café as a needed amenity for visitors. Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 However, winning the Impact Award at the Midwest Regional gave them the needed boost. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Braun told these hatchlings that they were too wedded to script, and needed to learn how to let sound tell the story. Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 Deposits will not guarantee access to a season membership, but they can be applied to a future membership if needed. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 19 May 2026 Last year, for example, Finnish company QMill launched a classical AI service for compressing quantum circuits, reducing the number of gates needed for operation by 20 to 50 percent. Zeeya Merali, Scientific American, 19 May 2026 Ask your child’s doctor about blood lead testing if needed. Ryan Brennan may 19, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026 It was completed in 2014 with redevelopment funds that needed to be used. Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 19 May 2026 There were too many steps that needed to be taken in between. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026 Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle. Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026 The Royals simply needed to put the baseball in play to score the first run of the game. Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needed
Adjective
  • The proceeds will fund Perpetua's Stibnite Gold project in Idaho, which will also produce antimony, a necessary metal for munitions and semiconductor manufacturing.
    Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 22 May 2026
  • Game 3, if necessary, will be played shortly after Game 2.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Lots of cooks in the kitchen The Falcons’ offensive coaching staff is probably fortunate that most of their families haven’t moved to town yet, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said, because many hours of meetings were required to put together a scheme from many different parts.
    Josh Kendall, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • Some landlords have refused to rent to Shiites altogether, and certain municipal governments have required background checks and restricted visitors.
    Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
Adjective
  • Jumping from one idea to another, from one flavor of the month to the next, there seems to be no clarity, consistency or essential golden thread to Harry and Meghan’s work, although Meghan, known as the 24-carat master rebrander, is continuously rebranding herself.
    Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • Border plants play an essential role in unifying gardens.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Ramírez, half-awake, was confused as to why Pevey wanted to speak with him.
    Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
  • As negotiations over the war in Iran hang by a thread, a notorious Iranian commander sanctioned by the US and wanted by Interpol is helping to craft Tehran’s next moves.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Adjective
  • Her voice is slurred, needful, abject.
    Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
  • That image of God never has a problem, never has a disease, never lacks anything needful or truly desirable, and has never sinned.
    Douglas Sytsma, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The framework proved integral during Tesla’s growth years, McNeill recalled, helping solve manufacturing bottlenecks tied to the Model X and scale the company from roughly $2 billion in revenue to $20 billion.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 May 2026
  • Their studies focused on the dogs’ diets, mobility, and origins, illuminating the role of this breed—integral to Peruvian identity—in pre-Incan Andean societies.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Needed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needed. Accessed 25 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on needed

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster