Text: 1 impossible to do without<a well-stocked public library is essential for the well-being of a community>Synonymsall-important, imperative, indispensable, integral, necessary, needed, needful, required, requisite, vitalRelated Wordsprerequisite; compulsory, mandatory, obligatory; important, momentous, significant; basic, central, fundamental, key, organic; insistent, persistent, pressing, urgentNear Antonymsundesired, unwanted; inconsequential, insignificant, unimportant; excess, extra, superfluous, surplusAntonymsdispensable, needless, nonessential, unnecessary, unneeded 2 of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject<anyone with an essential knowledge of human biology can follow the documentary>— see elementary 3 being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing<an unquenchable belief in the essential goodness of most people>— see inherent

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