1
as in necessary
impossible to do without
purchase needful provisions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poor
lacking money or material possessions
let's first help the needful families in our own community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in money
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment
fortunately, the family had the needful to stock up the larder before the long hard winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
packed a warm jacket and other needfuls for an autumn weekend in the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of needful
Corey Van Landingham, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
What sort of response was needful?
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
They are not found to be such on the injustice and violence of individuals, and lose their efficacy in proportion to the number combined together, that is, in proportion as their efficacy becomes needful.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2022
Sometimes environments and selection pressures change radically, and large effect mutations may become needful.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2010
For Queen and other Black poets, hip-hop is not only beats and rhymes but something more needful.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2021
Oxfam exhorts its supporters to send things to the needful Cratchits of the developing world.
—Matthew Sweet, The Economist, 4 Dec. 2020
McBride was touched by the way, in their later years, Marcroft was the primary caregiver for Joyce, who had become needful of that care.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Nov. 2020
Many proponents of critical race theory — whose animating idea is that race is the one thing needful, the single lens through which all other phenomena should be viewed — are indeed trying to compel compliance.
—Greg Weiner, National Review, 10 Sep. 2020
Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
Even on this side of the border, the supply of people without legal status but needful of income has led to employers’ brazenly violating child-labor laws.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 May 2023
Adjective
Who promises tomorrows to a whole needful planet, restrikes that match?
—Corey Van Landingham, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
What sort of response was needful?
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
They are not found to be such on the injustice and violence of individuals, and lose their efficacy in proportion to the number combined together, that is, in proportion as their efficacy becomes needful.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2022
Sometimes environments and selection pressures change radically, and large effect mutations may become needful.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2010
For Queen and other Black poets, hip-hop is not only beats and rhymes but something more needful.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2021
Oxfam exhorts its supporters to send things to the needful Cratchits of the developing world.
—Matthew Sweet, The Economist, 4 Dec. 2020
McBride was touched by the way, in their later years, Marcroft was the primary caregiver for Joyce, who had become needful of that care.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Nov. 2020
Many proponents of critical race theory — whose animating idea is that race is the one thing needful, the single lens through which all other phenomena should be viewed — are indeed trying to compel compliance.
—Greg Weiner, National Review, 10 Sep. 2020
Noun
The actor did indeed ‘get it together’ and is doing the needful to make things official.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
Even on this side of the border, the supply of people without legal status but needful of income has led to employers’ brazenly violating child-labor laws.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needful
Adjective
-
Many people in the country have a distrust of civil servants; however, civil servants with deep understanding of finance and investing are exactly the type of people who would be necessary.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Evacuation Protocol: If evacuation becomes necessary, follow your checklist, wear protective clothing, and leave immediately.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This implies a poor Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 52.5% (vs. 19.4% for S&P 500).—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The general manager, making a rare road trip, told reporters that his presence had more to do with his scheduling availability than the Yankees’ third-place standing or their poor play over the past two-plus months.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Drummond pulled out a pistol, pointed it at a store employee and demanded the money in the cash register, according to court documents.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
-
The foundations raise private money from students’ families and other donors to fill in gaps in programming, supplies and other needs at schools that aren’t covered by state funding.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
So a quick scan of the room and flipping a couple switches to make sure things are working is a must.—
Amber Love Bond,
Southern Living,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Since her daughter loves pink, incorporating the color was a must.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This type of human-machine collaboration is essential for unlocking new levels of performance without requiring a complete overhaul of existing operations.—
Alexander Clausbruch,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The bulk of the day would be musical, but the recognition of the Haight’s roots in Beat poetry was essential.—
Dennis McNally,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Having two of the three most impoverished cities, especially when those cities are experiencing booming population growth, is its own kind of economic miracle, if an ignominious one.—
Kathryn Anne Edwards,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The eye-popping dollar figures in the statements contrast with everything else happening on an impoverished island, where people spend much of their time without electricity and many still depend on meager food rations to survive.—
Nora Gamez Torres,
Miami Herald,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There’s also one year of free Supercharging, though that’s limited to cash orders only.—
Jim Gorzelany,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Since the poll’s inception in 1998, the average cash gift left by the Tooth Fairy has increased 285% from $1.30 to $5.01 per tooth.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Texas is the 29th state to adopt a financial literacy requirement, according to Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit that offers free curriculum to schools nationwide.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Lowering the 30% equity requirement, however, might take longer unless the world runs out of decabillionaires who want teams.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needful. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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