stipulate
To demand or specify a requirement as part of an agreement.
Examples
In a meeting
“The contract stipulates a 30-day notice period for cancellation.”
Over coffee
“My landlord stipulated no pets when I signed the lease.”
Why this word
require
stipulate implies formally specifying conditions in an agreement, while require is more general
specify
stipulate adds legal or contractual force to the specification, while specify is merely descriptive
demand
stipulate focuses on setting precise terms in negotiations, while demand emphasizes insistence
Usage tip
Implies a formal condition, not a casual request. Used for contracts, agreements, and rules.
Etymology
Latin stipulari (to demand a formal promise), possibly from stipula (straw) — referring to breaking a straw to seal a deal
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Related words
mandate
An official order or requirement to do something; to officially require.
prerequisite
Something required before something else can happen
requisite
Necessary or required for a particular purpose
entail
To involve or require as a necessary part or consequence
tacit
Understood or implied without being directly stated
statutory
Required, permitted, or created by written law