# needed

/ˈnidəd/ (US) · /nˈiːdɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/needed
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. necessary

adjective · CEFR B1

describes something that is required or must be present.

For teachers: functioning as an attributive or predicative adjective to indicate necessity or requirement.

- The doctor provided the needed medicine to help the patient recover.
- The government failed to provide the needed infrastructure to support the rapidly growing urban population.

Usage: Often used before a noun to show that the noun is a requirement.

## Examples

- I needed some help with my homework yesterday.
- The team needed more time to finish the report before the deadline passed.
- Although the project was technically complete, the lead architect felt that several structural elements needed further refinement to meet safety standards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.