Require is a verbA word that shows action, state, or occurrence in a sentence. with several related but distinctClearly different from one another; not the same. meanings. It can mean to need something, to make something necessary, or to officiallyIn a formal, authorized, or accepted way by an organization or authority. expect or insist that someone do something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /rɪ-KWY-er/
Easy pronunciation: rih-KWY-er (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress is on the second syllable: re-QUIRE.
Verb meaning to need something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Require Meaning
to need something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: have need of
Example: This job requires a lot of patience.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- need — The closest everyday substitute in the sense of needing something.
- want — Can work in some contexts, though it is less exact and can sound different in tone.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Require
Meaning 2
to say that something must be done or provided
Part of speech: verb
Definition: consider obligatory; request and expect
Example: We require our secretary to be on time.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- ask — Works when the meaning is to request or expect something, though it is weaker than require.
- expect — Fits well when someone is expected to do something as a rule or condition.
Meaning 3
to make something necessary
Part of speech: verb
Definition: require as useful, just, or proper
Example: Success usually requires hard work.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- call for — A natural synonym when one thing makes another necessary.
- demand — Works when a situation or task needs something strongly.
- involve — Appropriate when something includes or necessarily needs something else.
- necessitate — A formal synonym meaning to make necessary.
- need — Common in this sense when something makes another thing necessary.
- take — Can mean 'need' in expressions like 'It takes time,' though it is more idiomatic than direct.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Require Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- need
- want
say that something must be done or provided
- ask
- expect
make something necessary
- call for
- demand
- involve
- necessitate
- need
- take
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse require with request: require is stronger and usually means something is necessary or officially expected.
- Do not mix up the 'need' sense with the 'make necessary' sense, since they are related but not interchangeable in every sentence.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does require mean in simple English?
Require usually means to need something, or to make something necessary. It can also mean to officially expect someone to do something.
What is a good synonym for require?
For the main meaning, need is the closest synonym. In other senses, expect, call for, and necessitate can also work.
Is require the same as need?
Often, yes. But require can be more formal, and it is also used when something makes another thing necessary or when a rule says something must happen.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.