1
as in requirement
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
on any road trip, accurate maps are a necessity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
two years of unemployment had reduced the family to abject necessity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of necessity
With him, ending slavery was a moral necessity, but so was preserving the Union.
—
arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2025
Four top Ohio Republicans want each others' jobs — out of political necessity.
—Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
It was deemed a necessity by the former administration after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
—Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Feb. 2025
Despite the numbers, some players and coaches questioned the necessity of headgear.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessity
arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2025
Four top Ohio Republicans want each others' jobs — out of political necessity.
—Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
It was deemed a necessity by the former administration after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
—Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Feb. 2025
Despite the numbers, some players and coaches questioned the necessity of headgear.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessity
Noun
-
Based on these results, the researchers recommend updating the current B12 requirements.—
Melissa Rudy,
Fox News,
26 Feb. 2025
-
If a recruit was outside these requirements, the applicant was granted 90 days to comply with Army regulations.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The district’s poverty rate was 14% in 2023, compared with 11.1% for the nation, according to Statista and the U.S. Census Bureau.—
Paul Davidson,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Known for his incredible racing career, John Force has made a huge impact on professional drag racing, having overcome many challenges including childhood poverty and polio, before becoming one of the greats in the sport with a record-breaking 157 wins in NHRA professional racing events.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
That is a tangible measure of improvement, which is a must.—
James Pearce,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
-
For any nimble and growth-minded leader, this is a must.—
Eyal Lifshitz,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
One of the few remaining positives in his life is upended before the pilot comes to a close, pushing poor Ted that much further into misery.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Human misery and environmental devastation proved the cost of turning coffee from a luxury good into a staple.—
Peter S. Goodman,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share