Needed

Needed is the past participle of the verb need in English. It is also used as an adjective meaning something that is required or necessary, as in the phrases the needed information or the repairs that are needed.

Etymology: The form derives from Old English within the Germanic language family, with cognates found in related languages. The sense of requirement and obligation developed over the history of English and remains common in modern usage.

Grammar and usage: As a participle, needed appears in perfect tenses (I have needed) and in passive constructions (Help is needed). As an attributive adjective, it precedes a noun (the needed resources, the needed documents) or can be used predicatively after a linking verb (The information is needed). The phrase the needed is typical in compound noun phrases but not used in isolation.

Nuances and synonyms: Needed emphasizes that something is required by circumstances. Related words include necessary (often signaling logical or essential requirement), essential, indispensable, and requisite. In contrast, needless means not required or unnecessary, sometimes carrying a sense of redundancy or harm if undertaken.

Usage notes: Needed tends to refer to practical requirements in a given situation, while necessary can carry a stronger sense of obligation or inevitability. Both are common in formal and informal registers, though preferred choices can vary by style and context.

Related forms: need (noun and verb), needy (poverty-related or dependent), needful (archaic or formal in some contexts).