English dictionary

needs Meaning & Definition

/niːdz/

What Does Needs Mean?

Needs is used as an adverb meaning Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably. As a noun, it means plural of need. As a verb, it means third-person singular simple present indicative of need.

Needs in Brief

Part of speech	adverb, noun, verb
Pronunciation	//niːdz//
Syllables	1
Synonyms	inevitably, necessarily and of necessity

Needs Definition (Adverb)

Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably.

Needs as a Noun

plural of need

Needs as a Verb

third-person singular simple present indicative of need

Adverb

Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; used with an auxiliary verb (often must), and equivalent to "of need".
One must needs run when the devil drives.

Noun

A requirement for something; something needed.
I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter.
Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.

Verb

To have an absolute requirement for.
Living things need water to survive.
To want strongly; to feel that one must have something.
After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave.
(modal verb) To be obliged or required (to do something).
You need not go if you don't want to.
To be required; to be necessary.
To be necessary (to someone).

Synonyms of Needs

inevitably necessarily of necessity desire want will wish would like be lack without in need of require

Needs synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of Needs

No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.

Needs in a Sentence

One must needs run when the devil drives.

I've always tried to have few needs beyond food, clothing and shelter.

Living things need water to survive.

After ten days of hiking, I needed a shower and a shave.

You need not go if you don't want to.

Word Forms & Grammar

needs (not comparable)

needs

Words That Rhyme With Needs

concedes misdeeds precedes proceeds deeds weeds pedes breeds feeds impedes recedes beadsprayer beadscedes heeds pleads succeeds accedes preceeds leads bleeds meads tweeds exceeds swedes misleads steeds string of beads supersedesman of deeds

Origin of Needs

Origin 1: From Middle English nedes (“of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably”) [and other forms],[1] from Old English nēdes, nīedes (“of necessity; not willingly”), from nīed + -es (suffix forming adverbs from nouns).

Origin 2: The English word is equivalent to need +‎ -'s (possessive marker) and hence to need +‎ -s (suffix forming adverbs).[2]