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need

[need] / nid /






Usage

What are other ways to say need? The verb need often suggests urgency, stressing the necessity of supplying what is lacking: to need an operation, better food, a match to light the fire. Require, which expresses necessity as strongly as need, occurs most frequently in serious or formal contexts: Your presence at the hearing is required. Successful experimentation requires careful attention to detail. Lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something: to lack courage, sufficient money, enough members to make a quorum. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"We need to learn from these experiences," he said.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

After the 2025 fires in southern California even pols like Mr. Newsom at least pretended to acknowledge the need to manage the Golden State’s landscape aggressively to reduce fire risk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Here’s everything you need to know about the watch parties.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Otherwise, he said, family members in the middle of grieving have to go on a “scavenger hunt” to find some of the most critical information they need.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

Dr. Harlow tells himself that a man who was so badly hurt is going to need time to regain his full powers.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman




Vocabulary lists containing need


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