require

American  

[ri-kwahyuhr] / rɪˈkwaɪər /

verb (used with object)

required, requiring

1. to have need of; need.

   He requires medical care.

2. to call on authoritatively; order or enjoin to do something.

   to require an agent to account for money spent.

3. to ask for authoritatively or imperatively; demand.

   Antonyms:

   forgo

4. to impose need or occasion for; make necessary or indispensable.

   The work required infinite patience.

5. to call for or exact as obligatory; ordain.

   The law requires annual income-tax returns.

6. to place under an obligation or necessity.

   The situation requires me to take immediate action.

   Synonyms:

   necessitate, obligate

7. Chiefly British. to desire; wish to have.

   Will you require tea at four o'clock?

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verb (used without object)

required, requiring

1. to demand; impose obligation.

   to do as the law requires.

require British  

/ rɪˈkwaɪə /

verb

1. to have need of; depend upon; want

2. to impose as a necessity; make necessary

   this work requires precision

3. (also intr) to make formal request (for); insist upon or demand, esp as an obligation

4. to call upon or oblige (a person) authoritatively; order or command

   to require someone to account for his actions

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Usage

What are other ways to say require? To require something is to have a need for it or to ask for it authoritatively. How does require compare to synonyms want, need, and lack? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Related Words

See demand.

Other Word Forms

• nonrequirable adjective
• prerequire verb (used with object)
• quasi-required adjective
• requirable adjective
• requirer noun
• unrequired adjective

Etymology

Origin of require

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English requiren, from Latin requīrere, equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere “to seek, search for”; quest ( def. )

Example Sentences

A licence is also required from Scotland's nature body, NatureScot, due to the presence of otters in the area.

From BBC

The country’s top universities require it to access their Wi-Fi network.

From The Wall Street Journal

Doing so requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate or a joint act of Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal

Reflecting on Tuesday's match, Esposito added: "From a technical standpoint, everything went wrong. The team hasn't worked together enough. Rebuilding will require a long-term strategy, chasing immediate wins with rushed decisions won't succeed."

From BBC

Last year, Georgia roadway user revenues covered only 38.3% of roadway spending, requiring the state to cover most of its transportation expenditures from its general fund.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• call for
• cause
• compel
• demand
• expect
• instruct
• involve
• obligate
• oblige
• order
• request
• take