as in extra
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end
that large suitcase is unnecessary—we are only going to be away for a couple of days
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unnecessary
People who are rude or unaware with receptionists can poison your culture, create unnecessary hierarchies, and drive your best people to leave.
—
Jessica Neal, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Biles has gotten unnecessary criticism about her appearance over the years with online users coming for everything from her hair to her muscular figure.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Nov. 2025
Queen Camilla might have made an unnecessary comment about Kate Middleton‘s cancer recovery.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2025
Opponents have said the new 10-foot-wide vehicle lanes are too narrow for fire trucks to navigate; the back-in parking is far too difficult for high school students to use; and the separated bike lanes are hazardous and unnecessary.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Jessica Neal, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Biles has gotten unnecessary criticism about her appearance over the years with online users coming for everything from her hair to her muscular figure.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Nov. 2025
Queen Camilla might have made an unnecessary comment about Kate Middleton‘s cancer recovery.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2025
Opponents have said the new 10-foot-wide vehicle lanes are too narrow for fire trucks to navigate; the back-in parking is far too difficult for high school students to use; and the separated bike lanes are hazardous and unnecessary.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnecessary
Adjective
-
Use extra caution and consider delaying unnecessary travel until winds subside.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Nov. 2025
-
These cropped mid-rise jeans boast premium stretch and still retain their shape fabulously over time, and are specifically designed to flatter an hourglass shape thanks to the contoured waistband, plus extra room at the hips and thighs.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
And think of self-care as essential, not optional.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
5 Nov. 2025
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Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Musk already has a $475 billion fortune — more money than any one person anywhere, ever, in the history of the world, and needless to say more money than any person could ever spend.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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That included freshmen Elzie Harrington and Tae Simmons, who, needless to say, did not look like freshmen.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But several costly mistakes on offense rendered all of Miami’s one-sided statistics irrelevant as Brooks pointed out.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
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And when data doesn’t reflect how people make real decisions, the technology quickly becomes irrelevant.—
Adam Mills,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Animal cams are considered nonessential and will be turned off for the remainder of the shutdown.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
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As a result, nonessential services delivered by the federal government have stopped, and programs that rely on federal funding, like SNAP, cannot be paid.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Executive orders that are constitutionally infirm; unwarranted attacks on public sector employees; taxation policy favoring the ultra-wealthy.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
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Due process would allow for potential Cinnas to demonstrate innocence and remove themselves from the unwarranted threat; without it, everyone is imperiled.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Volvo's New River Valley plant in Virginia is producing the VNL Autonomous with six critical redundant or back-up systems — including dual braking, steering, communication, computing, power, energy storage and motion control — which are key to safe operations without a driver in the seat.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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And again on the chopping block are supply expenditures, including eliminating redundant technology and the general use of CAL-Card accounts.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Responsibility is hard, therefore, dispensable.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
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Hartenstein was invaluable for the Thunder in the conference semifinal victory over Denver, and dispensable at other points in the postseason.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unnecessary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnecessary. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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