What does "demand" mean?
The desire to purchase goods and services.
Demand
/dɪˈmɑːnd/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The desire to purchase goods and services.
- Grammar: demand is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: call for, need, requirement, accosting.
- Useful contrasts: allow, concede a point, entreaty.
- Usage evidence: That young critic is in high demand in a lot of places.
How to use "demand"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "demand" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "demand" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "demand" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "demand" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "demand" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "call for" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "demand", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The desire to purchase goods and services. countable, uncountable
"Prices usually go up when demand exceeds supply."
- 2 the act of demanding wordnet
- 3 The market force that causes buyers to be both willing and able to buy a good or service, as measured by the amount of that good or service that is currently salable at any given price point; the amount itself. countable, uncountable
"Supply and demand ebb and flow in a complex interplay."
- 4 required activity wordnet
- 5 A forceful claim for something. countable, uncountable
"Modern society is responding to women's demands for equality."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 an urgent or peremptory request wordnet
- 7 A requirement. countable, uncountable
"His job makes many demands on his time."
- 8 the ability and desire to purchase goods and services wordnet
- 9 An urgent request. countable, uncountable
"She couldn't ignore the newborn baby's demands for attention."
- 10 a condition requiring relief wordnet
- 11 An order. countable, uncountable
- 12 More precisely peak demand or peak load, a measure of the maximum power load of a utility's customer over a short period of time; the power load integrated over a specified time interval. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To request forcefully.
"I demand to see the manager."
- 2 request urgently and forcefully wordnet
- 3 To claim a right to something.
"The bank is demanding the mortgage payment."
- 4 claim as due or just wordnet
- 5 To ask forcefully for information.
"I demand an immediate explanation."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 ask to be informed of wordnet
- 7 To require of someone.
"This job demands a lot of patience."
- 8 summon to court wordnet
- 9 To issue a summons to court.
- 10 lay legal claim to wordnet
- 11 require as useful, just, or proper wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"That young critic is in high demand in a lot of places."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "demand"?
Common synonyms include: call for, need, requirement, accosting, address, adjures.
How do you use "demand" in a sentence?
That young critic is in high demand in a lot of places.
How do you pronounce "demand"?
Pronounced /dɪˈmɑːnd/.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē- Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂-der. Proto-Italic *manus Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tder. Proto-Italic *-ðō Proto-Italic *manuðō Latin mandō Latin dēmandō Old French demanderbor. Middle English demaunden English demand From late Middle English demaunden, from Old French demander, from Latin dēmandō, dēmandāre.