necessary
adjective
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Definition of necessary
(Entry 1 of 2)
necessary
noun
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Definition of necessary (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for necessary
Synonyms: Adjective
compulsory, forced, imperative, incumbent, involuntary, mandatory, nonelective, obligatory, peremptory, required
Synonyms: Noun
condition, demand, essential, must, must-have, necessity, need, needful, requirement, requisite, sine qua non
Antonyms: Adjective
Antonyms: Noun
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Examples of necessary in a Sentence
Adjective
Some say that Hvorostovsky's Don Giovanni lacks the necessary menace; others find that he tosses his mane about too flamboyantly. — Francine Du Plessix Gray, New Yorker, 22 Sept. 2003 From the very outset the eminence of this new creature, the intellectual, … was inseparable from his necessary indignation. — Tom Wolfe, Harper's, June 2000 Our most cataclysmic moments are typically free of gravitas, of necessary thunder; a person dies, but instead of the sky darkening and lightning striking, the sun continues to shine and the birds to sing. — Alain de Botton, Harper's, October 1998 Is it really necessary for me to have surgery? The threat of a thunderstorm made it necessary to cancel the picnic. It's not necessary to wear a tie. Food is necessary for life. We had all the necessary ingredients. She took the medicine only when absolutely necessary. Higher prices are a necessary consequence of the company's new services.Noun
"I thoroughly understand you," cried Mrs. Norris, " … My dear Sir Thomas, with all my faults I have a warm heart; and, poor as I am, would rather deny myself the necessaries of life than do an ungenerous thing." — Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814 I took up the two officers in my hands, put them first into my coat-pockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except my two fobs, and another secret pocket I had no mind should be searched, wherein I had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to any but myself. — Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, 1726 a modest income that provided the family with only the necessaries of life
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
At that point, both SpaceX and ESA determined a maneuver was not necessary. — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "SpaceX satellite was on “collision course” until ESA satellite was re-routed," 3 Sep. 2019 Yeah, a bit of background info is necessary in this case. — Billy Kobin, The Courier-Journal, "'I'm a victim of a drive-by tweet': Kentucky pastor mistakenly flamed by miffed Trump," 3 Sep. 2019 Two years removed from an Elite Eight run, White knew sweeping changes were necessary for his program. — Edgar Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, "New-look Gators’ basketball team works to meet high expectations," 2 Sep. 2019 The track shutdown, which runs on selected weekends through October, is necessary so BART can make extensive repairs and upgrades. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "BART operating shuttle buses in East Bay because of track work," 31 Aug. 2019 This concrete excrescence, remnant of a barbaric plan to encase the city in freeways, isn’t necessary and could be scrubbed off the landscape with a little bit of enlightened leadership. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, "Does the Kennedy Center have a vision for its elegant but awkward new annex?," 30 Aug. 2019 To ensure water customers only pay for what is necessary, the city’s goal is to complete a Cost of Service Study every five years. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, Pomerado News, "City’s water rates go up on Sunday," 30 Aug. 2019 Many researchers have suggested that the internet fuels white nationalist violence and therefore suppression of these online communities is necessary. — Joe Sexton, ProPublica, "He Spent Years Infiltrating White Supremacist Groups. Here’s What He Has to Say About What’s Going on Now.," 30 Aug. 2019 Members of the group also work with the company’s talent team to help recruit a more diverse workforce, which a few recent former employees said is necessary, especially at the highest levels of the company. — Jessica Schiffer, Teen Vogue, "Inside SephoraNoir, A Dedicated Resource Group for Black Sephora Employees," 29 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Everyday necessaries such as Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco have missed time, too. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc's Morning Line: Here's why the U.S. women's soccer World Cup team did the right thing," 13 June 2019 The large, refrigerated trailer has fruits, veggies and meat — the necessaries that make up a balanced diet. — Ben Brazil, latimes.com, "Park-It Market will provide free food to low-income seniors throughout Orange County," 10 May 2018 Everyday necessaries such as Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco have missed time, too. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc's Morning Line: Here's why the U.S. women's soccer World Cup team did the right thing," 13 June 2019 The large, refrigerated trailer has fruits, veggies and meat — the necessaries that make up a balanced diet. — Ben Brazil, latimes.com, "Park-It Market will provide free food to low-income seniors throughout Orange County," 10 May 2018 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, "Chickens, cows and merry-go-round horses: Your guide to county fair season," 13 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'necessary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for necessary
necessary
adjective