verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/nɪˈsɛsɪteɪt/
Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/nəˈsɛsəˌteɪt/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:N AH0 S EH1 S AH0 T EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To make necessary; to behove; to require (something) to be brought about.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The early departure of her plane necessitated her waking up at 4 a.m.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To force into a certain course of action; compel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
require as useful, just, or proper
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
It takes nerve to do what she did
success usually requires hard work
This job asks a lot of patience and skill
This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice
This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert
This intervention does not postulate a patient's consent
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ask, postulate, need, require, take, involve, call for, demand
Antonyms: obviate
Narrower terms: claim, take, exact, govern, draw, cost, cry out for, cry for, compel
4
verb
Meaning 4
cause to be a concomitant
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: lead
Narrower terms: entail, imply, mean
History
Etymology
From earlier necessitat, from Medieval Latin necessitātus, perfect past participle of necessitō (“to make necessary”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix, of participial origin)), from Classical Latin necessitās (“necessity, need”) + -ō. Necessitās is derived from necesse (“unavoidable”) (from ne- (“not”) + cessus (“conceded, given up, yielded”). By surface analysis, necessitō + -ate.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
изисквам
(iziskvam)
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Bulgarian:
водя след себе си
(vodja sled sebe si)
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Catalan:
fer necessari
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Catalan:
necessitar
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Czech:
vynutit si
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Czech:
vyžadovat
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Czech:
vyžádat si
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Danish:
kræve
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Danish:
nødvendiggøre
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Dutch:
noodzaken
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Dutch:
noodzakelijk maken
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Finnish:
vaatia
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Finnish:
edellyttää
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
French:
nécessiter
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
French:
requérir
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
French:
demander
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
French:
exiger
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
German:
erfordern
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
German:
zwingen
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Greek:
απαιτώ
(apaitó)
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Hungarian:
követel
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Italian:
necessitare
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Persian:
واداشتن
(vâdâštan)
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Polish:
wymagać
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Portuguese:
necessitar
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Russian:
обусло́вливать
(obuslóvlivatʹ)
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Slovak:
vyžiadať si
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Slovak:
vyžadovať si
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Spanish:
hacer necesario
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Spanish:
exigir
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Swedish:
kräva
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Swedish:
nödvändiggöra
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
Turkish:
zorunlu kılmak
— to make necessary; require something to be brought about
