REQUIRED Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

required 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈkwī(-ə)rd

Definition of required

as in mandatory

forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law formal instruction in driving is required in this state before you can get your driver's license

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in necessary

impossible to do without with these frigid winds, hats, scarves, and good mittens are required equipment for heading outside

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

required

2 of 2

verb

past tense of require

as in needed

to have as a requirement the toy requires four batteries, which are not included

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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 required

Adjective

Reaching that altitude, however, required GICON to rethink how such a turbine could be constructed. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026 Under aviation safety rules, a crash ax is a required piece of equipment on most passenger planes. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Verb

Week 2 required overtime, as Harrison Butker drilled a 40-yard field goal on the final play to beat the Indianapolis Colts 33-30. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026 Registration is required for all of these meetings, even the virtual one. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for required

Recent Examples of Synonyms for required

Adjective

In Southern California, the city of Long Beach has issued a mandatory evacuation order for some homes through Tuesday.

— Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Long Beach issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents of Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Place.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of mandatory

Adjective

Expect Raman, whom City Hall opponents have long trashed as conflict-averse, to focus on a message of possibility and positivity while holding her ground and striking back — and hard — when necessary.

— Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Officials said no other evacuations were necessary and public safety employees and emergency responders remained on duty.

— Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of necessary

Verb

Others are skeptical the task force can accomplish much in such a short time period, arguing that eventually sweeping new legislation will be needed to regulate AI.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Items such as the coffee pots, dispensing nozzles for cappuccino and frazil machines must be washed and sanitized as needed.

— NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of needed

Adjective

Although the regime has retreated from enforcing compulsory veiling, the opposition movement has continued to radicalize.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Reczek and Bosley-Smith read the return partly as evidence of compulsory kinship’s durability, and the evidence supports them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of compulsory

Adjective

This would be particularly relevant in contested environments where drones can observe roads, locate logistics convoys and attack vehicles carrying ammunition, fuel, food and other essential supplies.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Blaze, previously more peripheral to the adventure, became essential.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of essential

Verb

Hernández said the group wanted to use the platform to bring further awareness to the struggles immigrants continue to face in this country with an audience that notably skews more American than Los Tigres is accustomed to.

— Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Favreau wanted the vehicle bouncy, but not too fast or implausibly smooth.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of wanted

Adjective

That follows two $500,000 ad buys from the business group, which has historically aligned with Republicans, praising incumbent Sens.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Rogers is a former congressman who ran in the 2024 race for the same seat but lost to the incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

— Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of incumbent

Adjective

For years, posting clips online has been integral to comedians’ process of building an audience and selling tickets to their live shows.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence has been Nvidia’s acquisition of Hugging Face, a repository of open-source AI models that has become as integral to developers’ processes as GitHub.

— Kevin Cochrane, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of integral

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require

required

requirement

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“Required.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/required. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of required

adjective

verb

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