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
What sort of response was needful?
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
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
Sometimes environments and selection pressures change radically, and large effect mutations may become needful.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2010
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
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?
—Corey Van Landingham, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
What sort of response was needful?
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
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
Sometimes environments and selection pressures change radically, and large effect mutations may become needful.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2010
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
Noun
The actor did indeed ‘get it together’ and is doing the needful to make things official.
—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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needful
Adjective
-
The laws are seen by the administration as a necessary protection against threats to the country, a betrayal of the principles and virtues of the nation by the opposition and the public at large.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Apr. 2025
-
In both cases, regulation or policing of markets is necessary to ensure that ‘bad’ actors do not gain an advantage over good ones.—
Mike O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Road conditions are rapidly deteriorating, with the percentage of roads in poor condition expected to double in two years.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Apr. 2025
-
But academic research has consistently demonstrated that stadiums are poor drivers of economic growth and an analysis published last month found stadium projects spur little growth in local construction industries.—
Jonathan Shorman,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Youngkin in 2021 raised $2.2 million in contributions, but the millionaire investor bolstered his war chest with $5.5million of his own money, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
-
By juggling school and a job at a lice clinic, one young woman found a way to finance her education Comments Cailin Hawn has worked at a lice clinic for five years in an attempt to make and save money for school.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Parental monitoring a must, chief says Mooresville police conducted a similar sting in May 2024 called Operation Artemis, which led to 15 arrests.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2025
-
For connoisseurs, the pairing menus are a must, blending storytelling and flavor with seamless precision.—
Rai Mincey,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Understanding and regulating the trade in shark and ray meat is no longer optional but essential.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Garden gloves are essential for protecting our hands in the garden.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Criminal justice scholars say that when scores based on immutable facts are weighted so heavily in parole decisions, prisoners from impoverished, racially segregated communities are more likely to be hurt.—
Richard A. Webster,
ProPublica,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The once-vacant lot across the street from her childhood playground on Washington Avenue is now home to Wilcox Academy, an early learning center that represents a powerful investment in a historically impoverished community.—
Raymond Pierce,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In turn, the government must borrow other money from the public to raise the cash needed.—
Doug Criscitello,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Skilled thieves target specific homes and literally knock on the door and otherwise check to find a time when nobody is home, then the crooks burglarize the home quickly looking for jewelry and cash.—
Greg Fisher,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Marrying Business Impact With Economics While the industry has witnessed a proliferation of smaller, specialized AI models, significant AI chip innovation remains essential to deliver the performance requirements for supporting advanced reasoning and multimodal models.—
Maribel Lopez,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
This is a repeating annual fixture between the same two boat clubs each year, with no requirement to defeat anyone to get there so a roughly 50% chance of winning for each team and Etonian Matthew Pinsent there to ensure both fair play and the patina of poshness that is at the event's heart.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needful. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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