NEEDS Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

needs 1 of 3

adverb

ˈnēdz

Definition of needs

as in necessarily

because of necessity the dangers of global warming must needs be recognized—and recognized soon—by the industrialized nations of the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

needs

2 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of need

as in requires

to have as a requirement a national crisis that needs a strong leader to solve it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in must

to be under necessity or obligation to you need not stand when she enters the room

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needs

3 of 3

noun

plural of need

as in requirements

something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable got a job that barely provided for his basic needs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obligations

something one must do because of prior agreement no need to apologize

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of needs

Verb

Cancer June 21 – July 22 Your public message needs a calmer filter today. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2026 Build for the Future, Optimize the Present The state of the art, as of mid-2026, showcases agentic AI that works but needs manual guidance. — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Tight end Luke Schoonmaker — The 2023 second-round pick heads into his contract year and needs to show value beyond the four core special teams units after his production was cut in half from already low 2024 numbers. — Nick Harris. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Aug. 2026 To put it in its crassest terms, the story needs to come before the reporter. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 Much of the process still needs to be sorted out, including what locations Liverpool would target and whether the club would run these businesses itself or license the operations to a third-party partner. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Not that the planet needs any help with record-setting temperatures. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026 At the same time, the town needs more housing for incoming workers as well as current residents who want generations of their families to be able to live locally. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 Grandfathered into the history of the hotel is Top of the East—just the kind of old-school, sprawling rooftop lounge with a drop-dead panoramic view of the twinkling town that every city needs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

Noun

This allowed Amanda to collect data and better understand the scale and specific needs of local families before the summer. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026 May 21 – June 20 Public expectations and private needs may pull at each other. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026 Unlike traditional resort fees that can surprise or frustrate travelers, these purchases are optional and connected to a guest’s needs. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Even leave-in masks, which are designed for daily use, should be applied according to your hair’s needs; overloading can leave strands greasy or limp. — Anya Meyerowitz, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2026 Origis Energy signed long-term supply agreements with major corporate partners, including Meta, Occidental, dsm-firmenich, and Bekaert, to help meet their long-term power needs. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026 The Sun in your 7th House of Relationships opposes Pluto in your sign, intensifying the push-pull between your needs and someone else’s expectations. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026 The Police Department also works with business partners, including private security companies, to address safety needs, according to Smith. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026 These crises cross ideological lines, and (to paraphrase the mayor) for far too long, New York leaders left, right, and center have rejected the solutions New York needs. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for needs

Adverb

That digitized some experiences without necessarily connecting them.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Just because Chinese models are becoming popular does not mean China will necessarily be able to capitalize on that popularity in any dangerous way.

— Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of necessarily

Verb

But trying to compete for top talent against clubs across Europe and South America – among other regions – requires having money to spend.

— John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
That requires measuring impact rather than throughput, a harder problem with significantly more valuable answers.

— Dan Schawbel, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of requires

Noun

For the past six years, antitrust legal giants Beth Wilkinson and Jeffrey Kessler have been locked in a high-profile courtroom battle over whether the NCAA and its member institutions have lived up to the requirements of the Sherman Act.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Aug. 2026
And the sheer scale and complexity of the Medicaid system – joint federal-state funding, varying eligibility requirements, millions of enrollees and thousands of providers – created opportunities for questionable billing practices among providers.

— Ben Zdencanovic, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of requirements

Noun

But Hamad reiterated that none of this will happen if Israel does not implement its obligations.

— Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Indeed, the ballot language provides a list of acceptable expenditures, such as public safety, infrastructure or obligations for employee retirement benefits.

— Abigail Hall, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

Definition of obligations

Adverb

That relationship inevitably turned bad, as the President became impatient with the pandemic and demanded politicized boosterism from Fauci.

— Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Nick Aldis relinquished his duties as SmackDown General Manager to challenge Gunther to a grudge match amid months of tension with Gunther that inevitably became physical.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of inevitably

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needling

needs

needy

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Style

“Needs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needs. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of needs

adverb

verb

noun

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