require

UK: /rɪˈkwaɪə^r/ US: /rɪˈkwaɪr/ ,(ri kwī^ər′)

Inflections of 'require' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

requires

v 3rd person singular

requiring

v pres p

required

v past

required

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•quire /rɪˈkwaɪr/   v., -quired, -quir•ing. 

1. to have need of;
   need:
   [~ + object] He requires medical care.
2. to order (someone) to do something;
   demand, esp. with authority: [~ + object + to + verb]
   The judge required the witness to testify.
   [~ + that clause]
   The judge required that the witness testify.
   [no object]
   to do as the law requires.
3. to make necessary:
   [~ + object] The work required great patience.
4. to place (someone) under an obligation to do something:
   [not: be + ~-ing* ~ + object + to + verb] You are required to answer all questions.

re•quire•ment, n. [countable] See -quir-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•quire  (ri kwī^ər′), v., -quired, -quir•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to have need of;
   need:
   He requires medical care.
2. to call on authoritatively;
   order or enjoin to do something:
   to require an agent to account for money spent.
3. to ask for authoritatively or imperatively;
   demand.
4. to impose need or occasion for;
   make necessary or indispensable:
   The work required infinite patience.
5. to call for or exact as obligatory;
   ordain:
   The law requires annual income-tax returns.
6. to place under an obligation or necessity:
   The situation requires me to take immediate action.
7. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] to desire;
   wish to have:
   Will you require tea at four o'clock?

v.i. 

8. to demand;
   impose obligation:
   to do as the law requires.

• Latin requīrere, equivalent. to re- re- + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere to seek, search for (compare quest)
• Middle English requiren 1300–50

re•quir′a•ble, adj. 
re•quir′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See lack. 
• 3. See demand. 
• 6. obligate, necessitate.

Antonyms

• 3. forgo.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

require / rɪˈkwaɪə/ verb (mainly tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive)

1. to have need of; depend upon; want
2. to impose as a necessity; make necessary: this work requires precision
3. (also intr) to make a formal request (for); insist upon or demand, esp as an obligation
4. to call upon or oblige (a person) authoritatively; order or command: to require people to account for their actions

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French requerre, from Vulgar Latin requaerere (unattested) to seek after, from Latin requīrere to seek to know, but also influenced by quaerere to seek

reˈquirer noun

USAGE
The use of require to as in I require to see the manager or you require to complete a special form is thought by many people to be incorrect: I need to see the manager; you are required to complete a special form