indispensable

adjective

in·​dis·​pens·​able ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl 

1

: absolutely necessary : essential

an indispensable member of the staff

2

: not subject to being set aside or neglected

an indispensable obligation

indispensability

ˌin-di-ˌspen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

indispensable noun

indispensableness

ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl-nəs 

noun

indispensably

ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• all-important
• critical
• essential
• imperative
• integral
• must-have
• necessary
• necessitous
• needed
• needful
• required
• requisite
• vital

Examples of indispensable in a Sentence

fully aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth

Recent Examples on the Web

Follow-up reports will be your indispensable guides to the new administration: the policy agenda, the tax fight, AI, energy, health care, President-elect Trump's thought process, and winners and losers in the world ahead. —Axios, 19 Nov. 2024

Conclusion In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, the freelance and fractional community has proven time and again to be indispensable. —Heidi Davidson, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Samuel is in his sixth season with the 49ers, and though McCaffrey has usually gotten the spotlight since being traded by the Carolina Panthers out to the Bay Area, Samuel has been an indispensable piece for Shanahan’s offense given his ability to do just about anything he’s asked. —Scott Thompson, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024

Thus began the greatest director-composer collaboration in the history of movies, with Spielberg making 29 films with Williams and admitting that the composer has been indispensable to each and every one of them. —Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

indispensable

adjective

in·​dis·​pens·​able ˌin-dis-ˈpen(t)-sə-bəl 

: absolutely necessary : essential

an indispensable employee

indispensability

-ˌpen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Legal Definition

indispensable

adjective

in·​dis·​pen·​sa·​ble ˌin-di-ˈspen-sə-bəl 

: having rights so connected to the claims of the parties to an action that the action cannot be adjudicated without affecting those rights see also indispensable party at party