The art of modern warfare does not necessarily require soldiers to be armed to the teeth to be effective as combatants.
Source: tatoeba (18656)
Require
/ɹɪˈkwaɪə/
Synonyms for "require" (215 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (43)
Strong matches (65)
Noun(16 words)
costsdemanderdemandsdevelopment needsenforcinges. exactoforce conceptforce readingforce reexpressionforcesforces readinggovernmentally mandatedhallmarkingimpose penalty laboringredientsinsisting
Verb(18 words)
Related words (107)
Verb(28 words)
mandatemandatednecessitatednecessitatesnecessitatingneededobligatesobligatingobligeobligedobligerobligespostulatepostulatingprescribedpress the issuepresupposesprovidesspecifiedstipulate
Show 8 more words
Noun(22 words)
mandate readingmandatesmandatingmeansmustneedingneedsobligation to helpobligation to learnpreconditionpresent orderprintable handout formatrequire students to completespanish fuerzastatutorily mandatedstipulatingsubject standardsubpoenatasktaskmasters
Show 2 more words
Adjective(2 words)
mandated textsecond-language student needs
Determiner(1 words)
the costs of
Preposition(1 words)
with force
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ask, call for, demand, necessitate, need.
- Sentence evidence is available for require, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "require".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "require"
Keep "require" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "require" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "require", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "require" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesrequire attentionrequire effortrequire permissionrequire prerequisiterequire resourcesrequire specialized training
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
14 translations across 10 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- պահանջել verb (to demand of (someone))
Bulgarian
1 entries- искам verb (to demand of (someone))
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 要求 verb (to demand of (someone))
Finnish
2 entries- edellyttää verb (to demand of (someone))
- vaatia verb (to demand of (someone))
French
2 entries- exiger de verb (to demand of (someone))
- prier verb (to demand of (someone))
Galician
1 entries- requirir verb (to demand of (someone))
Italian
2 entries- domandare verb (to demand of (someone))
- richiedere verb (to demand of (someone))
Japanese
1 entries- 要求する verb (to demand of (someone))
Russian
2 entries- потре́бовать verb (to demand of (someone))
- тре́бовать verb (to demand of (someone))
Swedish
1 entries- avkräva verb (to demand of (someone))
Sample sentences
19 total sentences available.
The rules require us all to be present.
Source: tatoeba (20234)
Fruit trees require a large amount of space in which to grow.
Source: tatoeba (23947)
If it's going to require a total restructuring, I'm sure they will be satisfied with the old system.
Source: tatoeba (31115)
Showing 4 of 19 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "require"?
Closest matches include ask, call for, demand, necessitate, need.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "require"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.