need
need
Pronunciation
need /niːd/
ni: - /n/ (voiced alveolar nasal), /iː/ (long close front unrounded vowel)
d - /d/ (voiced alveolar plosive)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: need
Plural Noun: needs
Verb (Base Form): need
Verb (Third Person Singular Present): needs
Verb (Past Tense): needed
Verb (Present Participle): needing
Verb (Past Participle): needed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A fundamental requirement or something that is essential for survival, well-being, or proper functioning.
Synonyms: necessity, requirement, essential, prerequisite
Antonyms: luxury, surplus, abundance, superfluity
Definition 2: A strong feeling of lack or desire for something.
Synonyms: craving, longing, desire, urge, want
Antonyms: satisfaction, contentment, fulfillment, apathy
Verb
Definition 1: To require something because it is essential or very important.
Synonyms: require, necessitate, demand, call for, depend on
Antonyms: lack, forgo, do without, abstain from
Definition 2: To feel a strong desire or want for something.
Synonyms: want, desire, crave, long for, wish for
Antonyms: dislike, reject, dismiss, ignore.
Examples of Use
Books:
"As a human being, I have a deep need for a meaningful life, for purpose, for love, for community." (from The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama XIV and Desmond Tutu)
"He felt the constant need to prove himself to his father, a shadow that stretched across his entire life." (from Educated by Tara Westover)
Newspapers:
"The city faces an urgent need for more affordable housing options as rents continue to climb." ( The New York Times)
"Experts emphasize the need for global cooperation to combat climate change." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Why every startup founder will need a chief AI officer." ( TechCrunch)
"Travelers now need to be aware of new visa requirements for several popular destinations." (Lonely Planet)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I feel the need... the need for speed!" (Top Gun)
Television Series: "We need to talk about Kevin." (from the title of the film We Need to Talk About Kevin, adapted from the novel)
Music (Song Lyrics): "All you need is love." (The Beatles, All You Need Is Love)
Video Games: "Commander, we need more minerals!" (frequently heard in StarCraft series)
Podcast: "In this episode, we discuss the need for better mental health resources for young adults." (The Daily, The New York Times)
General Public Discourse:
"There's no need to rush; we have plenty of time." (Common conversational phrase)
"Do you need a hand with those groceries?" (Common offer of assistance)
"The community expressed a strong need for a new public park." (Local town hall meeting)
"I really need a vacation after this busy week." (Everyday conversation)
10 Quotes Using Need
"All you need is love." (The Beatles)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." (Karl Marx)
"One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don't come home at night." (Margaret Mead)
"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." (George A. Moore)
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." (Sun Tzu)
"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." (Maya Angelou)
"There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity." (Max De Pree)
"The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself." (Lao Tzu)
Etymology
The word "need" has a long history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
It comes from the Old English word "nēad" or "nied". The earliest meaning of this word was quite strong, referring to compulsion, necessity, or even distress and hardship. Imagine a situation where something absolutely had to happen because of dire circumstances – that was the essence of "nied." It also carried the sense of something being lacking or wanting.
So, when it first appeared, "need" wasn't just about desiring something; it was often about a fundamental and often difficult requirement, or a state of being in distress due to a lack of something crucial. Over time, the meaning broadened to include the more common senses we use today, like simply requiring or wanting something.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Need
In need: Experiencing a lack of something essential, often money or help.
Need to know: Information that is restricted to those who require it for a specific purpose.
Have no need for: To not require or desire something.
If need be: If it becomes necessary.
A friend in need is a friend indeed: A true friend helps when you are in trouble.
What you see is what you get, and what you need is what you get: A less common phrase suggesting that one gets what they truly require, even if it's not what they initially desired.
The need of the hour: What is most urgently required at a particular time.
To be in sore need of: To urgently require something.
No need to worry: An assurance that something is not a cause for concern.
Meet a need: To fulfill a requirement or desire.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of need from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
