Word Explorer

Need

/niːd/

A requirement for something; something needed.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Need"

noun

1
A requirement for something; something needed.
"I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter."
2
Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.

🔄 Synonyms of "Need"

18 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
necessitateverb	(transitive) To make necessary; to behove; to require (something) to be brought about.
demandnoun	The desire to purchase goods and services.
wantverb	(transitive) To wish for or desire (something); to feel a need or desire for; to crave, hanker, or demand.
motivationnoun	An incentive or reason for doing something.
haveverb	(transitive) To possess, own.
penurynoun	(uncountable) Extreme need or want; destitution, poverty; (countable) an instance of this.
takeverb	(transitive) To get into one's hands, possession, or control, with or without force.
involveverb	To cause or engage (someone or something) to become connected or implicated, or to participate, in some activity or situation.
requireverb	Naturally to demand (something) as indispensable; to need, to call for as necessary.
motivenoun	An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.
mustnoun	To do as a requirement; indicates that the sentence subject is required as an imperative or directive to execute the sentence predicate, with failure to do so resulting in a failure or negative consequence.
indigencenoun	Extreme poverty or destitution.
askverb	To request or petition.
call forverb	(figuratively) To request, demand.
oughtverb	(auxiliary, formal, dated) Indicating duty or obligation.
pauperismnoun	The state of being a pauper; poverty.
shouldnoun	Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
have gotverb	(transitive, idiomatic, especially UK) To have.

↔️ Antonyms of "Need"

Words with the opposite meaning.

Word	Definition
obviateverb	(transitive) To anticipate and prevent or bypass (something which would otherwise have been necessary or required); to render (something) unnecessary.
eliminateverb	(transitive) To completely remove, get rid of, put an end to.
rid ofverb	do away with

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Need"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
necessitateverb	(transitive) To make necessary; to behove; to require (something) to be brought about.
mustnoun	To do as a requirement; indicates that the sentence subject is required as an imperative or directive to execute the sentence predicate, with failure to do so resulting in a failure or negative consequence.
have gotverb	(transitive, idiomatic, especially UK) To have.
haveverb	(transitive) To possess, own.
oughtverb	(auxiliary, formal, dated) Indicating duty or obligation.
requireverb	Naturally to demand (something) as indispensable; to need, to call for as necessary.
demandnoun	The desire to purchase goods and services.
shouldnoun	Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
wantverb	(transitive) To wish for or desire (something); to feel a need or desire for; to crave, hanker, or demand.
askverb	To request or petition.
motivenoun	An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.
motivationnoun	An incentive or reason for doing something.
involveverb	To cause or engage (someone or something) to become connected or implicated, or to participate, in some activity or situation.
takeverb	(transitive) To get into one's hands, possession, or control, with or without force.
pauperismnoun	The state of being a pauper; poverty.
penurynoun	(uncountable) Extreme need or want; destitution, poverty; (countable) an instance of this.
indigencenoun	Extreme poverty or destitution.
call forverb	(figuratively) To request, demand.
necessitynoun	The quality or state of being necessary, unavoidable, or absolutely requisite.
requisitenoun	Essential, indispensable, required.