need
need — verb
1. to require something because it is essential for a particular purpose or for sur
to require something because it is essential for a particular purpose or for survival — for example, needing food to live, needing money to pay rent, or needing a tool to fix something.
Tanvi needs a new pair of shoes for the school trip next week.
need + noun phrase (concrete object needed)
Plants need water and sunlight to grow properly.
The local clinic needs more nurses to treat all the patients.
need + noun phrase (institutional subject)
Do you need any help with carrying those heavy boxes upstairs?
A kitten needs plenty of attention and regular meals every single day.
- desperately need
- urgently need
- badly need
- need something badly
- need something urgently
Grammar Patterns
need + noun phrase
Common Mistakes
2. to believe that something is necessary to bring improvement or benefit to a pers
to believe that something is necessary to bring improvement or benefit to a person or situation — for instance, saying a car needs washing or a child needs more sleep.
Your bicycle needs new tyres before you ride it on the mountain trail.
need + noun phrase (improvement/repair)
I think this soup needs a little more salt to taste just right.
The whole house needs a fresh coat of paint before we sell it.
Those curtains need washing after all the smoke from the kitchen fire.
need + gerund (need washing = need to be washed)
The garden needs to be watered every evening during this hot summer weather.
- needs fixing/cleaning/washing/replacing
- needs to be done/replaced/fixed
- badly needs
- could use
more informal; suggests the thing would benefit from something
- would benefit from
more formal and softer than 'need'
Grammar Patterns
need + noun phrase (improvement)
need + gerund
need + to be + past participle
Usage Note
This sense commonly uses a gerund ('needs washing') or a passive infinitive ('needs to be washed') after the object to describe what action would improve the subject. The gerund form is more informal and typical in everyday speech.
Common Mistakes
3. used to say that someone is required or forced to do something because of rules,
used to say that someone is required or forced to do something because of rules, circumstances, or strong necessity — the same as 'have to' or 'must'.
You need to show your passport when you arrive at the airport counter.
need to + infinitive (rule/requirement)
Christopher needs to finish his homework before he can play outside.
We need to leave now if we want to catch the last train home.
All drivers need to stop when the traffic light turns solid red.
need to + infinitive (general rule)
I need to call my mother before she starts worrying about my delay.
- need to know
- need to do
- need to see
- need to talk to
- need to find
Grammar Patterns
need to + infinitive
need not + infinitive (formal)
Usage Note
This sense is followed by a to-infinitive ('need to do'). For the negative, 'don't need to' is the most common form in everyday English; 'needn't' is more common in British English and slightly formal.
Common Mistakes
4. used to indicate that no requirement exists for a particular action to be taken
used to indicate that no requirement exists for a particular action to be taken or performed.
You needn't bring anything to the dinner — we have everything prepared already.
needn't + infinitive (British English)
Amani doesn't need to worry about the exam because she studied every chapter.
You don't need to lock the shed; the gardener locks it every evening anyway.
don't need to + infinitive (common negative form)
We don't need to book a table because that restaurant is never very busy.
Mauricio needn't attend the training session if he has already completed the course online.
- needn't bother
- don't need to worry
- needn't worry
- don't need to come
- don't have to
more common in everyday speech; same meaning
Grammar Patterns
need not + infinitive
do/does/did not need to + infinitive
Usage Note
The form 'needn't' (without 'to') is primarily British English and slightly formal. In American English and everyday conversation, 'don't/doesn't need to' is far more common. The present tense forms differ in meaning from the past tense forms (see senses 6 and 7).
Common Mistakes
5. used to express strong annoyance while telling a person that their intended acti
used to express strong annoyance while telling a person that their intended action is not permitted or justified.
You needn't think you can borrow my car whenever you feel like it.
needn't + infinitive (angry/disapproving)
Apinya needn't imagine that I will pay for her holiday after what she said.
Ari needn't assume he can stay at our flat whenever he visits the city.
You needn't bother trying to change my mind about selling the house.
- needn't think
- needn't imagine
- needn't assume
- needn't bother
- shouldn't even
conveys similar disapproval but less strong than 'needn't' in this sense
Grammar Patterns
need not + infinitive (expressing disapproval)
Usage Note
Only used in negative form with 'needn't' + bare infinitive. The subject is usually 'you' directed at the person being criticised, but 'he/she' is also possible. This sense carries strong emotional tone and is primarily British.
6. used to indicate that a past action was uncalled for — whether a person performe
used to indicate that a past action was uncalled for — whether a person performed it anyway or decided against it precisely because it was not needed.
You needn't have washed the dishes — I already put them in the dishwasher.
needn't have + past participle (action done unnecessarily)
We didn't need to hurry because the flight was delayed by almost four hours.
Yael needn't have brought an umbrella since the rain stopped before we left.
The Kim family didn't need to pay for parking because the hotel offered it free.
didn't need to + infinitive (action not done / not necessary)
I didn't need to cook dinner because my neighbour had already brought some food over.
- needn't have done
- didn't need to do
- needn't have worried
- needn't have bothered
Grammar Patterns
need not have + past participle
did not need to + infinitive
Usage Note
Distinguish between 'didn't need to do' (we do not know whether the action happened or not — either way it was unnecessary) and 'needn't have done' (the action WAS done, and it was unnecessary). Sense 7 specifically covers the 'needn't have done' meaning when emphasising that the action happened despite being unnecessary.
Common Mistakes
7. used to talk about a past action that was performed but later turned out to have
used to talk about a past action that was performed but later turned out to have been pointless — often carrying a tone of regret about wasted effort or relief that the effort was unnecessary.
I needn't have worried about the speech — it went really well in the end.
needn't have + past participle (regret/relief about unnecessary action)
Vinícius needn't have cooked so much food because only three guests came to dinner.
We needn't have packed thick coats for the trip to Thailand in July at all.
Shirin needn't have bought a second ticket because her friend cancelled at the last minute.
- needn't have worried
- needn't have bothered
- needn't have come
- needn't have brought
Grammar Patterns
need not have + past participle (action happened)
Usage Note
This sense differs from sense 6 by focusing specifically on cases where the person DID do the action and later discovered it was unnecessary. The tone can express either mild regret ('I wasted effort') or relief ('luckily I didn't actually need it'). Only used in the form 'needn't have + past participle'.
This phrase means that someone is acting very strangely or foolishly.
Tom went swimming in a thunderstorm; he needs his head examined.
If you think that plan will work, you need to have your head examined.
need — noun
1. a situation in which someone does not have something that is important or essent
a situation in which someone does not have something that is important or essential for their life, health, or well-being.
The charity works to help families in need of food and warm clothing.
in need of + noun phrase (essential items)
There is an urgent need for clean drinking water in the flood-affected villages.
The old garden tree is in desperate need of water after the long drought.
in desperate need of + noun phrase (noun construction)
Erik felt a deep need for company after living alone in the mountains for months.
The government finally recognised the need for better hospitals in rural areas.
- in need of
- urgent need
- desperate need
- need for
- feel a need
- recognise a need
- requirement
more formal; often used in official or technical contexts
- necessity
stronger; implies something absolutely essential
Grammar Patterns
in need of + noun phrase
need for + noun phrase
Usage Note
When followed by 'of' ('in need of'), the noun phrase describes what is lacking. When followed by 'for' ('need for something'), it describes a general requirement. The phrase 'in need' on its own can be a polite way to refer to poverty (see sense 4).
Common Mistakes
2. the items, conditions, or resources that someone requires to live well, stay hea
the items, conditions, or resources that someone requires to live well, stay healthy, or achieve personal goals.
The shelter provides food, blankets, and other basic needs for homeless people.
basic needs (plural — essential requirements)
A good school should meet the needs of every child, not just the top students.
Sofia's daily needs include three healthy meals and at least eight hours of sleep.
The new software was designed to fit the needs of small business owners perfectly.
fit/meet/suit someone's needs (collocation)
Parents should listen carefully to the emotional needs of their teenage children.
- basic needs
- daily needs
- meet someone's needs
- fit someone's needs
- address needs
- special needs
- emotional needs
- requirements
more formal; often used in technical or professional settings
- demands
stronger; implies pressure or urgency
- essentials
focuses on the most basic, non-negotiable items
Grammar Patterns
someone's needs
needs of + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense is most frequently used in the plural form ('needs'). Common verb collocations include 'meet', 'satisfy', 'address', 'fit', and 'serve'. The phrase 'basic needs' refers to the minimum requirements for survival such as food, water, shelter, and clothing.
Common Mistakes
3. a strong feeling of wanting something, often something that someone believes the
a strong feeling of wanting something, often something that someone believes they cannot be happy or satisfied without.
Jisoo felt a strong need to travel and explore new places around the world.
need to + infinitive (inner desire)
Humans have a basic need for belonging and acceptance within a community.
The need for excitement drove him to try skydiving and mountain climbing each year.
After working alone for weeks, Ezra felt a growing need to talk to other people.
growing/deep/strong need (adjective + need)
Many teenagers experience a powerful need for independence from their families.
- strong need
- deep need
- growing need
- need for
- feel a need
- sense a need
Grammar Patterns
need for + noun phrase
need to + infinitive
Usage Note
This sense blends the idea of 'want' and 'require'. It is weaker than sense 1 (which implies a genuine lack of something essential) but stronger than a simple 'wish' because it suggests the person feels the want is important. The phrase 'a need for' is common with psychological or emotional concepts.
Common Mistakes
4. a situation where someone does not have enough money, food, or other basic resou
a situation where someone does not have enough money, food, or other basic resources to live a normal life — a polite way of describing poverty or extreme hardship.
The organisation provides free meals for families who are living in need.
living in need (polite expression for poverty)
Many children in the region suffer from hunger and need due to the ongoing war.
Élise volunteers at a charity that supports women and children in severe need.
The earthquake left thousands of families in desperate need of shelter and medicine.
in desperate/immediate/severe need (humanitarian context)
- in need
- living in need
- those in need
- severe need
- desperate need
- immediate need
- poverty
more direct and factual than 'need'; less euphemistic
- hardship
broader; can refer to financial, physical, or emotional difficulty
- destitution
extreme form of poverty; much stronger and more formal than 'need'
- wealth
having abundant resources, opposite of being in need
Grammar Patterns
in need (poverty context)
Usage Note
'In need' in this sense is a softer, more respectful way to talk about poverty compared to direct terms like 'poor' or 'destitute'. It is commonly used in charity, humanitarian, and social work contexts. The phrase 'those in need' is a standard way to refer to people experiencing poverty.
5. the quality of being essential or demanded by a situation — though the word is f
the quality of being essential or demanded by a situation — though the word is far more frequent in negative patterns stating that something is uncalled for.
There is no need to shout — I can hear you perfectly well from here.
There is no need to + infinitive
There is no need for concern — the doctors say the operation was a complete success.
Obi saw no need to change his routine after the minor rule update at work.
see no need to + infinitive
The manager stressed the need for punctuality during the busy holiday shopping season.
If need be, we could rent a car and reach the village before dark.
If need be (fixed phrase)
- no need to
- there is no need
- if need be
- see no need
- stress the need
- no need for
- necessity
very similar but slightly more formal; 'necessity' can also refer to a concrete required item
- obligation
more about duty or moral requirement than practical necessity
- unnecessity
rare word; 'unnecessary' as an adjective is more common
Grammar Patterns
there is no need to + infinitive
no need for + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense is most commonly used in the fixed phrases 'there is no need (to)' and 'if need be'. 'There is no need to' is a polite way to tell someone they do not have to do something. 'If need be' means 'if it becomes necessary' and is a fixed expression. The positive form ('the need for something') is rarer and more formal.
Common Mistakes
6. used in everyday speech to say that something is unnecessary or that someone sho
used in everyday speech to say that something is unnecessary or that someone should not do something — often as a polite response or reassurance.
No need to apologise — it was an honest mistake and nobody got hurt.
No need to + infinitive (polite reassurance)
No need for anyone to wait outside in the cold rain for the bus.
No need for + noun phrase (noun construction)
Meera said there was no need to buy her a gift for the housewarming party.
No need for long speeches — just tell everyone what time the meeting starts.
No need for + noun phrase
Aylin told her colleague there was no need to come to the office on Saturday.
- no need to
- no need for
- there is no need
- no need at all
- not necessary
more direct; can replace 'no need' in most situations
- don't have to
more informal and conversational; common in spoken English
Grammar Patterns
no need to + infinitive
no need for + noun phrase
Usage Note
'No need' as a standalone phrase at the start of a sentence is very common in spoken English. It can be used alone ('No need!') as a short reply. Unlike sense 5, this sense is about the practical unnecessariness of an action rather than the abstract concept of necessity.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- needyadjectiveB2
- neededadjectiveB1
- needlessadjectiveB2
- needlesslyadverbC1
- unnecessaryadjectiveB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
'Need' and 'require' are close in meaning, but 'require' is more formal and common in professional or official contexts — a doctor may 'require' a blood sample, while a child 'needs' a hug. 'Depend on' shifts the focus to the consequences of not having the thing: 'The whole project depends on her approval' emphasises that without approval, the project fails. 'Call for' is used when a situation rather than a person creates the requirement: 'The recipe calls for three eggs.' When speaking casually, 'need' is almost always the most natural choice. In formal writing, 'require' adds appropriate weight. 'Need' is the best all-round choice for everyday use.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'need' comes from Old English 'nīed' and 'nēd', which meant 'necessity, compulsion, or distress'. These words trace back to the Proto-Germanic root '*naudi-', meaning 'distress or force', and further to the Proto-Indo-European root '*nāu-', meaning 'death' or 'to be exhausted'. The sense of 'being in a state of lack' developed naturally from the idea of distress caused by lacking something essential. Interestingly, the verb form ('I need to go') developed later than the noun, evolving from the phrase 'it is needful to' into a direct verb of obligation.