if need be

idiom

: if something becomes necessary
You can always call me at home if need be.
We'll leave without them if need be.

Examples of if need be in a Sentence

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Their food and any other necessities are brought to the doors of their rooms by workers in hazmat suits, and security personnel are on hand to enforce—violently, if need be—the guests’ involuntary solitary confinement. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025 Ten months later, DART slammed into the smaller space rock in the system as planned, showing that humanity has the ability to nudge a potentially hazardous asteroid off course if need be. Mike Wall, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2025 The city will open have warming centers open this week for residents to use if need be, although some locations will be closed Wednesday for Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025 Choosing a law firm Yazdi advised victims to pick a law firm that has the financial and logistical resources to take the case all the way to trial if need be. Tony Saavedra, Orange County Register, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for if need be

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“If need be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20need%20be. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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