Collocations for "need"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "need" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
need
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- need [help, assistance] (with)
- need your [help, advice]
- need a little [help, assurance]
- need (some) [water, food, advice]
- need information [on, regarding]
- need [money, a job]
- need the money [for, to]
- need a [break, rest]
- need a good [drink, glass of wine]
- need a new [car, phone, watch]
- needs (a little) attention
- need (your) [donations, support]
- needs [closure, reassurance, fulfillment]
- needs [repairing, mowing, fixing]
- need permission [to, in order to, before]
- need [time, more time] (to)
- need [experience, practice]
- need and [want, deserve]
- need to [go, see, try, know]
- you don't need to worry
- UK: you needn't [worry, bother, have worried, have bothered]
- we need you [here, back]
- need I [carry on, say more]?
- many [people, customers, families] need
- is there anything (else) you need?
- do you need anything else (from me)?
- all you need (is)
- needed in the [OR, office, field]
- needed for [surgery, the meeting]
- needed by the [owner, principal, president]
- [urgent, immediate, acute] needs
- [basic, essential, daily, human, fundamental, bodily] needs
- the [children, students] have [specific, special, additional] needs
- [children, adults] with [specific] needs
- there is a [pressing, dire, clear, growing] need (for)
- are in need of [help, assistance, water, volunteers]
- help a [friend, coworker, relative, person] in need
- always puts [others', her family's] needs before her own
- a friend in need (is a friend indeed)
- [highlight, reinforce, illustrate] the need [to, for]
- the need to [develop, create, raise, provide]
- meet the needs of the [workers, students, parents, customers]
- [listen to, hear] the needs of the [public, residents, locals, users]
- their needs were [met, satisfied, ignored]
- I have needs too (you know)
- help us in our hour of need
- is there (really) a need for that?
- there is [really, absolutely] no need
- there's no urgent need to [buy, get, find, do, make, go]
- (there's) no need to [worry, panic, be scared, bother]
- there is no need for concern
- the [urgency, scale, magnitude, context] of the need
- will be [judged, allocated] according to need
- need for [food, shelter, beds]
'need' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ASAP
- Halloween
- ID
- Sir
- Spanish
- absolute
- academic
- accommodation
- accord
- accordingly
- account
- accountability
- accountable
- accountant
- aching
- act
- active
- activity
- additional
- additionally
- address
- adequate
- adjective
- adjustment
- administration
- adult
- advance
- adventure
- advice
- advisor
- advocate
- affection
- affluent
- affordable
- afterwards
- agenda
- agent
- aggressive
- agree
- agreement
- aid
- air
- aisle
- alert
- alive
- ally
- alongside
- alternative
- always
- ambition