# Feature Request Meaning in English: Examples & Practice (2026)

> A formal or informal request from a user, customer, or team member asking for a new capability or improvement to be added to a software product.

- **Term:** feature request
- **Part of speech:** noun
- **Pronunciation:** /ˈfiːtʃər rɪˈkwɛst/
- **English level (CEFR):** B2
- **Register:** Neutral, Both
- **Region:** US and UK
- **Topic:** [Agile and project terms](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/topics/agile-project-management-terms.md)
- **Lesson:** https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/feature-request
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-27

## Meaning

A formal or informal request from a user, customer, or team member asking for a new capability or improvement to be added to a software product. Feature requests describe desired functionality that does not currently exist.

Feature requests are a core part of product development and customer feedback loops in tech companies. They come from end users, clients, support teams, internal stakeholders, or product managers who identify gaps between current functionality and user needs. Unlike bug reports which describe problems with existing features, feature requests propose enhancements, new tools, or entirely new capabilities. Teams typically collect, prioritize, and discuss feature requests in planning meetings, product roadmap sessions, and backlog refinement ceremonies. The process of managing feature requests helps companies understand customer needs and allocate engineering resources strategically.

## When you hear it

During backlog grooming, the team reviewed several feature requests from major clients wanting dark mode support.

## Examples

- **in a standup:** "We received three feature requests this week asking for better filtering options in the dashboard."
- **in a planning meeting:** "The product manager prioritized the feature request for two-factor authentication based on security concerns."
- **in an email to support:** "I'm opening a feature request to track customer demand for API rate limit visibility."
- **in a retrospective:** "We should consider some of the older feature requests when planning the next sprint."

## What native speakers say

- "We have a lot of feature requests from customers"
- "Can you log that as a feature request?"
- "This feature request has high priority"
- "I'm going to submit a feature request for this"

## Common mistakes

- ✗ "We need to fix this feature request immediately." → ✓ "We need to fix this bug immediately." (Feature requests are for new functionality, not urgent fixes. Use bug report for problems.)
- ✗ "The feature request is broken and does not work." → ✓ "The feature request asks for a new export function." (A feature request proposes something new, it cannot be broken because it does not exist yet.)
- ✗ "Feature request this improvement to the system." → ✓ "Submit a feature request for this improvement." (Feature request is typically a noun; you submit or log a feature request, not use it as a verb.)

## Be careful

Do not confuse with bug report. A feature request asks for new functionality; a bug report describes something broken. Feature requests are not urgent fixes.

## Word forms

| Part of speech | Word | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| noun (singular) | feature request | The team received one important feature request from the enterprise client. |
| noun (plural) | feature requests | We prioritize feature requests based on user impact and implementation effort. |
| noun (in phrases) | feature request backlog | Our feature request backlog currently contains over 50 items. |
| noun (as modifier) | feature request tracking | We use Jira for feature request tracking and prioritization. |


## Collocations

- **submit a feature request**: To formally propose a new feature to the development team
- **log a feature request**: To record a feature request in a tracking system
- **prioritize feature requests**: To decide which requested features to work on first
- **feature request backlog**: The collection of all pending feature requests waiting to be developed
- **customer feature requests**: Feature requests coming specifically from paying clients or end users
- **feature request tracking**: The system or process of managing feature requests
- **address a feature request**: To implement or respond to a requested feature

## Synonyms

- **enhancement request**: Slightly more formal; emphasizes improvement rather than new capability
- **improvement suggestion**: More casual; broader term for any proposed improvement
- **user story**: More technical; describes desired functionality from user perspective in Agile context
- **change request**: Broader term; can include bug fixes and feature requests

## Opposites

- bug report
- issue
- defect

## Practice

This lesson has 4 practice exercises with instant feedback on the page: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/feature-request

## FAQ

### What is the difference between a feature request and a bug report?

A feature request asks for new functionality or improvements that do not currently exist. A bug report describes something that is broken or not working as designed. Feature requests are typically lower priority and planned for future releases, while bugs often require urgent fixes.

### Who typically submits feature requests?

Feature requests can come from many sources: end users, paying customers, support teams who hear customer feedback, product managers, internal teams, or other stakeholders. Large organizations may have formal channels like feature request portals or surveys to collect ideas systematically.

### How do teams decide which feature requests to implement?

Teams typically prioritize feature requests based on factors like customer impact, business value, implementation cost, alignment with product strategy, and how many users requested the feature. Prioritization happens during backlog refinement sessions, planning meetings, or product strategy reviews.

### Is feature request formal or informal?

Feature request is neutral in formality and used in both formal and informal contexts. You might hear it in casual standups (Can you log that feature request?) or formal product requirements documents. The context determines formality level.

### Can feature requests be rejected?

Yes, absolutely. Product teams regularly decide not to implement feature requests if they do not align with product strategy, require too many resources, have low user demand, or conflict with other priorities. Teams typically communicate rejections to stakeholders explaining the reasoning.


## Related

- [bug report](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/bug-report.md)
- [backlog](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/backlog.md)
- [user story](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/user-story.md)
- Full glossary: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md
- Live lessons with a coach: https://app.mocklyenglish.com

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