needed 1 of 2

adjective

as in necessary
impossible to do without pack only what will be needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

needed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of need
as in required
to have as a requirement a national crisis that needs a strong leader to solve it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of needed
Adjective
Senior Trey Cooley, who transferred from Troy, and senior Jayden Limar, who ran for 262 yards last season at Oregon, provide needed depth. — Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 The development comes a week after the city started the process of relocating residents to allow for the new owner to make needed repairs. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 The training also involved using real knives as much as possible to get recruits used to the sharp blades and to instill the needed fighting ethos. — David Szondy august 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026 The engaging biopic tracks Davidson's troubled upbringing to finding a way as an adult to deal with his condition and discover needed confidence. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Executive Director Clint O'Neal said the first two iterations of the program have been successful, providing needed funding to local communities preparing industrial sites. — Dylan Sherman, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026 His family publicly accused the workers' compensation system of delaying and denying needed care. — Ginger Allen, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Reliable transportation can make the difference between making a follow-up appointment and delaying needed care. — Aimée K. Dailey, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Other research links unfair treatment in healthcare settings to mistrust and going without needed care. — Hyojin Im, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
Libra September 23 – October 22 Quiet may be just what is needed for a creative idea to flourish. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026 The retrofit is needed primarily because many of the 499 piles that hold up the piers have micro-cracks. — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026 And the revision also will take into account the time constraints and investments needed to roll out a more developed EPR system, so mandatory recycling rates would be adjusted in phases to allow producers time to prepare for compliance. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 From a straightforward season-long points race to giving the points leader a cushion on the leaderboard, and now the simple format of awarding the FedEx Cup to the winner of the Tour Championship, the postseason has long needed a boost. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Motion Assist can be activated manually as needed from the menu or using a quick settings tile. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026 Last night at Craven Cottage offered an example — goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was at fault for the first goal and did not cover himself in glory on the second, when Levi Colwill also needed to do better. — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Rodriguez, who grew up near Coral Gables, argued throughout the primary that his decades as a television journalist gave him the name recognition and connection to the community needed to win the district in November. — Sergio Candido, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Calls for change and timelines to accomplish it have been pushed back several times since, leaving in place a status quo that is no longer needed. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needed
  1. necessary
  2. required
  3. essential
  4. wanted
  5. needful
  6. integral
Adjective
  • Addressing workers at the company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume warned Tuesday that eliminating tens of thousands of jobs could be necessary to remain competitive.
    — Maegan Vazquez, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The equipment in the classroom is also outdated and no longer reaches performance capabilities necessary for modern digital art, web design and 2D and 3D imaging, officials said.
    — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of necessary
Verb
  • Leaders can distinguish between capabilities required on day one and knowledge that a capable person can reasonably acquire.
    — Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • With all 32 teams required to trim their rosters to 53 players by Sunday, Lynn made a strong case for a spot on the Jets’ active roster.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • Those plans must cover essential health benefits, such as prescription drugs and mental health coverage.
    — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, SmartAsset assumed these essential costs make up 50% of your budget.
    — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of essential
Verb
  • If Congress wanted the president to retain Section 338 power, Albrecht asks, why did lawmakers pass the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allowed for national security tariffs?
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The one person who never wanted to be seen with Dolly in public, astonishingly, was her husband of 59 years and childhood sweetheart, Carl Dean.
    — Tania Bryer, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of wanted
Adjective
  • Her voice is slurred, needful, abject.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
  • That image of God never has a problem, never has a disease, never lacks anything needful or truly desirable, and has never sinned.
    — Douglas Sytsma, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
Definition of needful
Adjective
  • Her weight and notable appetite are integral to the musical number.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The arrival of the transistor began the era of electronics that has become an integral part of our daily lives.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of integral

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Cite this Entry

“Needed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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