NECESSARY Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

necessary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈne-sə-ˌser-ē

as in required

forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law an emissions test is necessary before you can renew the registration for your car

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Relevance

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as in inevitable

impossible to avoid or evade taxes will always be a necessary evil

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as in essential

impossible to do without food and water are necessary for survival

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necessary

2 of 2

noun

as in must

something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable a modest income that provided the family with only the necessaries of life

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Examples of necessary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

State health and pharmacy board officials plan to approve an emergency policy allowing people to access necessary medication early or extend a prescription, Chris Stallings, the director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, said during a press conference yesterday. —

Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 26 Sep. 2024 Agency officials cautioned Wednesday their budget to assess chemicals doesn’t come close to the amount necessary to conduct a robust safety program. —

Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2024

Noun

Across the way, a 10-year-old mucks out a stall, taking on all the necessaries in caring for her calf. —

Sharon Hoffmann and Dan Kelly, kansascity, 13 July 2017 See all Example Sentences for necessary

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'necessary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.