inessential

adjective

in·​es·​sen·​tial ˌi-nə-ˈsen(t)-shəl 

1

: not essential : unessential

2

: having no essence

inessential noun

Synonyms

• dispensable
• gratuitous
• needless
• nonessential
• uncalled-for
• unessential
• unnecessary
• unwarranted

Examples of inessential in a Sentence

he writes very spare prose, with nary an inessential word to be found

Recent Examples on the Web

The remaining seven undisputed songs, including forgettable Akon and Lenny Kravitz collaborations, make for a slight and inessential collection. —Al Shipley, SPIN, 16 Jan. 2025

Though somewhat inessential, Far From Home is a fun diversion with a killer mid-credits sequence that beautifully sets up the third film. —Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025

That kind of wheel-spinning can be infuriating in a genre show; think of how the second season of Yellowjackets eventually became too unwieldy or how certain episodes of Lost (one of From’s clear inspirations) felt inessential. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024

The season ended, the credits rolled, and I was tossed into the abyss of inessential programming. —Evan Waite, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 2