1
as in necessary
impossible to do without
purchase needful provisions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poor
lacking money or material possessions
let's first help the needful families in our own community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in money
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment
fortunately, the family had the needful to stock up the larder before the long hard winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
packed a warm jacket and other needfuls for an autumn weekend in the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of needful
Corey Van Landingham, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
They are not found to be such on the injustice and violence of individuals, and lose their efficacy in proportion to the number combined together, that is, in proportion as their efficacy becomes needful.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2022
For Queen and other Black poets, hip-hop is not only beats and rhymes but something more needful.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2021
Oxfam exhorts its supporters to send things to the needful Cratchits of the developing world.
—Matthew Sweet, The Economist, 4 Dec. 2020
McBride was touched by the way, in their later years, Marcroft was the primary caregiver for Joyce, who had become needful of that care.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Nov. 2020
Many proponents of critical race theory — whose animating idea is that race is the one thing needful, the single lens through which all other phenomena should be viewed — are indeed trying to compel compliance.
—Greg Weiner, National Review, 10 Sep. 2020
What sort of response was needful?
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
Even on this side of the border, the supply of people without legal status but needful of income has led to employers’ brazenly violating child-labor laws.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 May 2023
Adjective
Who promises tomorrows to a whole needful planet, restrikes that match?
—Noun
The actor did indeed ‘get it together’ and is doing the needful to make things official.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for needful
Adjective
-
After giving birth to her second child in April, the 32-year-old was determined to continue breastfeeding her son — a choice that was both personally important and financially necessary for her family.—
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The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe.—
Adjective
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Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.—
-
In recent games, KU’s communication has been pretty poor on defense and that’s led to players taking (and too often missing) wide-open 3-pointers.—
Noun
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Cashier Sandra Cornejo said the suspect ordered Oreo ice cream before pulling out a knife and demanding money.—
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Bonta said the money also supports child welfare and foster services, housing stability, job training, food assistance and services for seniors and people with disabilities.—
Noun
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The best-selling Jemluse Wireless CarPlay Adapter, now 50 percent off, is a must for hands-free convenience in the car.—
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Gallery Wall Wood Frame Set If your resolution includes finally framing photos that have been hiding in your phone for months, this set is a must.—
Adjective
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The brain is composed mainly of fat, including omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol, which are essential for maintaining brain cell structure and function.—
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That’s why investing in a plush, comfortable duvet insert or comforter is essential for creating a cozy oasis to start the new year off well-rested.—
Adjective
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The United States must step away from war and send food to Venezuela’s impoverished people.—
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Leaning into the superstition that someone with albinism can bring wealth to those in need, Panay’s story follows a young boy with albinism (Boubacar Dembèlè), whose voice is believed to hold special powers that can protect impoverished miners risking their lives for gold.—
Noun
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Janet’s mother, Marilyn, was deeply insecure about having never finished college herself, and—newly flush with cash—offered to pay for four years of her children’s higher education (which cost, on average, $740 in the late 1970s).—
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And just in case, she was laid to rest with some local currency, or spending cash, almost 1,000 Kaiyuan Tongbao coins tied to her waist and right leg, as per Arkeonews reported.—
Noun
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Both are qualified to meet FAA surveillance requirements through prior test-site certification activities.—
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AHPs were once far more accessible, but that changed with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which required many AHPs to comply with coverage requirements that drove up AHPs’ costs.—
Cite this Entry
“Needful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needful. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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