1
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inevitable
impossible to avoid or evade
taxes will always be a necessary evil
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3
as in essential
impossible to do without
food and water are necessary for survival
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of necessary
Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Teacher vows to protect kids ‘by any means necessary’
In Chicago, Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova has said city public schools are committed to protecting students and families, and will not ask about or share immigration status with ICE.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 11 Oct. 2019
Everyday necessaries such as Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco have missed time, too.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 13 June 2019
See all Example Sentences for necessary 
Adjective
No experience is necessary; all gear will be provided.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Teacher vows to protect kids ‘by any means necessary’
In Chicago, Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova has said city public schools are committed to protecting students and families, and will not ask about or share immigration status with ICE.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
Tramontana trotted downstairs, grabbed the necessaries and made the carbonara — but the experience lingered.
—Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 11 Oct. 2019
Everyday necessaries such as Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco have missed time, too.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 13 June 2019
See all Example Sentences for necessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessary
Adjective
-
Bringing in an independent arbitrator to review both sides’ arguments typically occurs when contract discussions are stalled or there is a stalemate and is a required step before the union can go on strike.—
Ikram Mohamed,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
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Nvidia is still working on the certification process for Samsung Electronics Co.’s high-bandwidth memory chips, a final required step before the Korean company can begin supplying a component essential to training AI platforms.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The administration’s limited public support and inevitable mistakes will create opportunities for democratic forces—in Congress, in courtrooms, and at the ballot box.—
STEVEN LEVITSKY,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Feb. 2025
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Will that inevitable disaster take a form that doesn’t feel, at least somewhat, like a reboot of previous White Lotus installments?—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Vogue Daily newsletter Get essential fashion, style, and tips, in your inbox.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2025
-
Five years ago, Democratic leaders defended stay-at-home orders, school closures and business shutdowns as essential to slowing the virus's spread.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
To Ayesha Curry, clean, quality products and cultural representation are a must.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Feb. 2025
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Habitats with places to hide and a nearby water source are also a must.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Sacramento Bee,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The licenses came with rules that providers called onerous and unethical, including mandatory pelvic exams for women.—
Jonathan Shorman,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2025
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Texas law calls for a mandatory 21-day waiting period after a school superintendent finalist is named before the board can take action to hire the superintendent.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Costco, Aldi, Walmart and Whole Foods did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment regarding possible egg limits for customers.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
-
The unions further contend that the offer fails to consider possible adverse consequences to the government's ability to function; sets an arbitrarily short deadline; and is pretext for removing and replacing workers on an ideological basis, among other things.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The state has found some success in meeting other requirements set forth by S.B. 4.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
14 Feb. 2025
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The Environmental Protection Agency has clearly failed to enforce Federal Clean Water Act requirements and force reluctant Chesapeake Bay states to meet their obligations to reduce pollutants where agricultural nutrients and sediment are concerned.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
An early job as a lab technician was interrupted by five years of compulsory military service.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
-
That’s because voting is compulsory in Australia, with the threat of a fine for noncompliance, and turnout typically exceeds 90 percent.—
Victoria Kim,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Necessary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessary. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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