Synonym Chooser

How does the verb require contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of require are claim, demand, and exact. While all these words mean "to ask or call for something as due or as necessary," 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

When is it sensible to use claim instead of require?

The synonyms claim and require are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When is demand a more appropriate choice than require?

While the synonyms demand and require are close in meaning, demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands.

demanded payment of the debt

Where would exact be a reasonable alternative to require?

In some situations, the words exact and require are roughly equivalent. However, exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands.

exacts absolute loyalty

Examples 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 require Claim sharks are not VA-accredited as required by law. Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2024 Replacing that, as Trump has suggested, would require 69.9% tariffs on all imports, the Tax Foundation said in June. William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024 At its core, the concept of mobile deer hunting requires minimalism on all fronts. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024 This means November will require your dedication, particularly as Mercury, your ruling planet, enters Sagittarius on November 2 and activates your seventh house of partnerships. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for require 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for require
Verb
  • Bates needed more than 200 stitches to repair the damage to her scalp, according to her attorneys.
    Jason Green, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
  • Cruise will now need to cooperate with government investigations, implement a Safety Compliance Program, and provide annual reports to the US Attorney’s Office.
    Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Of course, anyone with a low tolerance for sugary sweet, sometimes sticky sentimentality would want to suck on a pack of lemons afterwards.
    Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Trump may very well want to join some of these groupings rather than create compelling substitutes to them.
    Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Our Questions About the First Time Ash Died 25 years ago, Pokémon: The First Movie took Ash Ketchum to new heights (and killed him).
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Since then, warming temperatures have taken a toll.
    Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near require

Cite this Entry

“Require.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/require. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on require

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