present tense and past tense, all persons must
1
a
: be commanded or requested to
you must stop
b
: be urged to : ought by all means to
you must read that book
2
: be compelled by physical necessity to
one must eat to live
: be required by immediate or future need or purpose to
we must hurry to catch the bus
3
a
: be obliged to : be compelled by social considerations to
I must say you're looking well
b
: be required by law, custom, or moral conscience (see conscience sense 1) to
we must obey the rules
c
: be determined to
if you must go at least wait for me
d
: be unreasonably or perversely compelled to
why must you argue
4
: be logically inferred (see infer sense 1) or supposed to
it must be time
5
: be compelled by fate or by natural law to
what must be will be
6
: was or were presumably certain to : was or were bound to
if he did it she must have known
archaic
: to be obliged to go
I must to Coventry—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare1
: an imperative need or duty : requirement
2
: an indispensable item : essential
exercise is a must
: the expressed juice of fruit and especially grapes before and during fermentation
also
: the pulp and skins of the crushed grapes
1
: musk
2
Synonyms
Examples of must in a Sentence
Verb
we must be quiet during the performance
Noun (1)
exercise is a must if you want to stay healthy
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Indiana still has a path for hosting, but beating one of the Big Ten’s top four teams will be a must, and the Hoosiers have a huge opportunity when USC comes to Assembly Hall.
—Mark Schindler, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
She’s visited hundreds of the world’s best beaches and pools for work and leisure, and for most of her travels, packing swim clothes is a must.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2025
It: Baggy jeans might not pass as office-friendly uniform for everyone, but if your work dress code is relaxed (or more fashion-forward), these baggy, low-rise jeans are a must!
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for must 
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.
Noun
Money trees often develop root rot in poorly draining pots, so drainage holes are a must.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Indiana still has a path for hosting, but beating one of the Big Ten’s top four teams will be a must, and the Hoosiers have a huge opportunity when USC comes to Assembly Hall.
—Mark Schindler, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
She’s visited hundreds of the world’s best beaches and pools for work and leisure, and for most of her travels, packing swim clothes is a must.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2025
It: Baggy jeans might not pass as office-friendly uniform for everyone, but if your work dress code is relaxed (or more fashion-forward), these baggy, low-rise jeans are a must!
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for must
Dictionary Entries Near must
Cite this Entry
“Must.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/must. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
must
1 of 2 helping verb
məs(t) 
ˈməst
present & past all persons must
1
: is commanded, requested, or urged to
the train must stop
you must read that book
2
: is forced, required, or obliged to
leaves must fall
one must eat to live
we must be quiet
3
: is determined to
if you must go
4
: is very likely to
it must be time
must have lost it
5
: is certain to
the bus must be coming
must
2 of 2 noun
: something required or absolutely necessary
new shoes are a must
Medical Definition
must
noun
: the expressed juice of fruit and especially grapes before and during fermentation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share