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die Vorgabe

requirement

Definition & meaning

die Vorgabe means something specified or provided in advance. Its exact meaning depends on context:

  • Requirement, specification, or instruction: a rule or condition that someone is expected to follow.
    Example: Die Vorgaben müssen eingehalten werden. — “The requirements must be met.”
  • Guideline or target: a stated standard, objective, or framework for completing a task.
  • Preset or default value: a value or setting chosen in advance, especially in technical contexts.
  • Handicap in sports: an advantage or disadvantage assigned to make a contest more balanced.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Feminine noun: die Vorgabe
  • Plural: die Vorgaben
  • Formed from vor (“before”) and Gabe (“giving” or “something given”). It is related to the verb vorgeben , “to prescribe,” “to specify,” or “to set in advance.”
  • The underlying idea is something “given beforehand.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Possible synonyms include:

  • die Anforderung — a requirement, often emphasizing what must be achieved.
  • die Vorgabe is more specifically something laid down in advance.
  • die Richtlinie — a guideline or policy, often broader and less specific than an individual requirement.
  • die Spezifikation — a detailed technical or formal specification.
  • das Handicap — a suitable synonym only in the sports sense.

There is no single direct antonym. Depending on context, der Spielraum (“room for discretion or flexibility”) contrasts with a strict requirement, while die Freiheit (“freedom”) contrasts with being bound by prescribed rules.

Common phrases & collocations

  • eine Vorgabe machen — to set a requirement or give instructions
  • Vorgaben einhalten — to comply with requirements
  • den Vorgaben entsprechen — to meet or conform to the specifications
  • klare Vorgaben — clear instructions or requirements
  • eine gesetzliche Vorgabe — a legal requirement
  • eine Vorgabe für etwas — a requirement or guideline for something

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Examples

Wir müssen jede offizielle Vorgabe genau beachten.other

We must strictly observe every official requirement.

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