What does "needs" mean?
plural of need
Needs
/niːdz/ adv, name, noun, verb
adv, name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: plural of need
- Grammar: needs is listed as adv, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: come what may, demand, desiderata, essentials.
- Useful contrasts: less dutch water resources, luxuries, optional.
- Usage evidence: Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability.
How to use "needs"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "needs" 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 "needs" 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 "needs" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "needs" 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 "needs" is acting as adv, name, 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 "come what may" 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 "needs", 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 plural of need form-of, plural
Verb
- 1 third-person singular simple present indicative of need form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
Adverb
- 1 Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably. archaic, not-comparable
"As touching corporal puniſhments and penance, as faſting, diſciplin, hare cloth and other chaſtiſements, it behoueth thee herein to vſe good diſcretiõ, taking ſuch as help to repreſſe the aſſaults and temptations of the fleſh, and leuing others that may be hurtful, not yeelding herein to the heats, which ſome nouices are vvont to haue in their beginning, who thorough indiſcrete mortifying, and dompting of their fleſhe, fal into ſome ſuche infirmitie, as aftervvardes they muſt needes pamper and cheriſhe it to much."
Adverb
- 1 in such a manner as could not be otherwise wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "needs"?
Common synonyms include: come what may, demand, desiderata, essentials, individual needs, inevitably.
How do you use "needs" in a sentence?
Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability.
How do you pronounce "needs"?
Pronounced /niːdz/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English nedes (“of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably”) [and other forms], from Old English nēdes, nīedes (“of necessity; not willingly”), from nīed + -es (suffix forming adverbs from nouns). The English word is equivalent to need + -'s (possessive marker) and hence to need + -s (suffix forming adverbs).
Etymology 2
From need + -s.
Etymology 3
Variant of Nead.