Synonyms of require

require

verb

ri-ˈkwī(-ə)r 

as in to need

to have as a requirement

the toy requires four batteries, which are not included

Synonyms & Similar Words

• need
• want
• take
• involve
• necessitate
• demand
• warrant
• call for
• claim
• challenge
• entail
• ask
• bear
• beg
• lack
• insist
• cry (for)
• hurt (for)
• stipulate
• enjoin
• exact
• quest
• clamor (for)
• command
• press

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• have
• hold
• possess
• own

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of require

For my company, that requires thinking beyond the immediate experiment and asking how today’s design decision will react to manufacturing, safety and clinical pressures later. — Kristofer Mussar, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

These methods usually require a lot of extra energy, which may limit their utility. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026

Currently, meeting a connecting passenger generally requires the traveler to leave the secure area of the airport, then go through security again before continuing their trip. — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Circumstances leading up to what caused the collision remain unclear, but LAFD said that five people were assessed at the scene, three of whom required further medical attention. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026