necessitate

verb

ne·​ces·​si·​tate ni-ˈse-sə-ˌtāt How to pronounce necessitate (audio)
necessitated; necessitating
Synonyms of necessitatenext

transitive verb

1
: to make necessary : require
Business was growing, which necessitated the hiring of additional employees.
2
: force, compel
was necessitated to choose some other route
necessitation
ni-ˌse-sə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce necessitate (audio)
noun

Synonyms of necessitate

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Examples of necessitate in a Sentence

New safety regulations necessitated adding a railing to the stairs. getting new shoes would necessitate another trip to the mall
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This necessitates a shift from product-centric solutions to fundamental changes in identity, architecture, and operational discipline. — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Rushing’s injury will impact not only the catching corps but also the offense, necessitating a shift to defense-first catchers. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 For the business administration and graphic design majors, the number of fully qualified applicants exceeded the available spaces, necessitating additional admission criteria for these programs. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 However, sustained temperatures between 95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit can cause severe heat stress, leading to the premature drop of unripe fruit and necessitating immediate additional watering. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for necessitate

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of necessitate was in 1625

Rhymes for necessitate

See All Rhymes for necessitate

Browse Nearby Words

necessitarianism
necessitate
necessitation
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Cite this Entry

“Necessitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/necessitate. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

necessitate

verb
ne·​ces·​si·​tate ni-ˈses-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce necessitate (audio)
necessitated; necessitating
: to make necessary
sick enough to necessitate staying home
necessitation
-ˌses-ə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce necessitate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on necessitate

Nglish: Translation of necessitate for Spanish Speakers

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