How to Use essential in a Sentence

essential

1 of 2 adjective
  • The essential problem with this plan is that it will cost too much.
  • As a fighter pilot, he knows that good vision is essential.
  • Free speech is an essential right of citizenship.
  • There's no essential difference between the two products.
  • This is one of the ways that is essential to doing that.
    Talia Richman, baltimoresun.com, 5 July 2018
  • Wills is both essential to the plot and nonessential to the drama.
    Rebecca Farley, refinery29.com, 19 June 2018
  • Through the years the emphasis of the event has been to provide essential needs.
    Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2022
  • And that first phone has proven essential in building the case.
    Vinny Vella, Philly.com, 11 July 2018
  • The world of sports has two essential settings: the playing field and the locker room.
    Robert O'Connell, The Atlantic, 24 May 2018
  • Time with their child reduced when time with the child is essential?
    Tribune News Service, al, 18 June 2022
  • Finding a way to de-stress and calm your mind is essential.
    Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 17 Nov. 2022
  • For the man on the move, a stylish and well-designed toiletry bag is essential.
    Lucia Tonelli, Town & Country, 14 July 2022
  • The bottom line is that sales are an essential part of business.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2021
  • Take a look back at how the smartphone grew from gadget to essential.
    Brian Barrett, WIRED, 22 June 2018
  • The beanie is not essential, but does add some more edginess and will help keep you warm.
    Annie O’Sullivan, Good Housekeeping, 7 June 2022
  • So what’s essential to note from this edition of the Avs?
    Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2019
  • For Hill to make that leap, in-game reps like these are essential.
    Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2020
  • If anything, the beauty of Oceans is that both halves of the game are essential.
    Dan Thurot, Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2020
  • Being on the same side of that bump as the day’s hole location is essential.
    Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2023
  • Carlo has been an essential part of the team’s penalty kill.
    BostonGlobe.com, 4 June 2021
  • For fans of the classics, this cocktail book is essential.
    Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 9 Nov. 2018
  • Truth and justice are essential — in no small part to expose evil to light.
    Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 19 Aug. 2019
  • So, finding ways to calm them down while treating the root of the problem is essential.
    Sarah Jacoby, SELF, 31 Oct. 2019
  • Aside from essential workers, the entire city is like me, locked down and locked in.
    David Culver, CNN, 11 Apr. 2022
  • This makeup brush is, at once, four of the most essential brushes in one tool.
    Audrey Noble, Allure, 15 Sep. 2020
  • Wang—and Yuk—note that a long-term study will be essential.
    Max G. Levy, Wired, 24 Aug. 2021
  • And of course, smart storage is essential in a bedroom.
    Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 23 June 2022
  • Choice is essential for the behavioral health of both humans and dogs.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 5 Apr. 2021
  • This can help rebuild the trust that is essential for law enforcement to work.
    Veronica Hilbring, Essence.com, 27 June 2017
  • A lot of people are finding out just how essential the right tennis shoes are to a good game.
    Cortne Bonilla, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 June 2023
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essential

2 of 2 noun
  • Here are some ideas on what to pick up from the home essentials brand.
    Jenny Xie, Curbed, 14 June 2019
  • The clingy turtlenecks were essentials that came straight from the pages.
    Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Mar. 2023
  • Those who select the essentials plan will be able to stream the special the next day.
    Josie Howell | , al, 10 Apr. 2023
  • Cropped, tied, plain, or in mesh, the tank is an essential.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 28 June 2022
  • Has the essential been retained, or has too much been erased?
    Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, 5 May 2022
  • The first essential was in place for my first ice fishing outing of the season.
    Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 Dec. 2021
  • The first essential is, of course, not to read The Faery Queen.
    Catherine Nicholson, The New York Review of Books, 23 Sep. 2021
  • How about a few kitchen essentials to take your cooking skills to the next level?
    Monique Valeris, ELLE Decor, 23 Aug. 2019
  • Use them as a way to play up wardrobe essentials like a white button-down and a black tote back.
    Glamour, 15 Oct. 2019
  • Watch the video above for some killer hair tips and shop Yepez's essentials.
    Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Dec. 2018
  • And Saje oils are pure essentials for helping to aid sleep when in flight.
    Jane Sung, CNT, 22 Sep. 2017
  • There's no such thing as having too many of your home essentials.
    Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, 23 May 2019
  • In its stark white version, the sneaker is stripped down to its barest essentials.
    Jake Woolf, GQ, 5 Feb. 2018
  • During her first month, Ramirez checked off some of the essentials.
    Madison Feller, ELLE, 26 Apr. 2023
  • But now that the wave of early adopters has crested, does the bidet still feel like a modern essential?
    Sal Vaglica, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022
  • The job barely pays him enough to afford food and basic essentials.
    Christian Borys, Longreads, 28 Sep. 2017
  • The company has set aside time for team members to shop for essentials.
    Fortune, 13 Apr. 2020
  • So to me, that's my essential to really smooth out my face and the texture.
    Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2022
  • No matter the outfit or the time of year, the best bomber jackets for women are true wardrobe essentials.
    Jake Smith, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2024
  • Here are the essentials on four new restaurants to hit metro Detroit.
    Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2017
  • The one essential at any meal, apart from good wine, is candlelight.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2020
  • The simplest of the cheeses to make is farmer’s cheese, which is cheesemaking stripped to its barest essentials.
    Daniel Neman, Twin Cities, 31 July 2019
  • There's now ample space to display (and reach for) all of my pantry essentials.
    Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Berk redecorated her home with her need for lots of stuff in mind but pared it down to the essentials.
    Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 16 May 2023
  • Sales like these are also a good time to stock up on essentials like new makeup brushes.
    Natasha Reda, Glamour, 15 Feb. 2020
  • The grocery store essentials would be probably soup and beer.
    Darcy Costello, The Courier-Journal, 12 Jan. 2018
  • This year has proven that no household essential is safe from shortages.
    Christie Calucchia, PEOPLE.com, 14 Sep. 2020
  • Any suggestions on essentials to pack in a carry-on and how?
    Ellen Warren, chicagotribune.com, 3 Apr. 2018
  • The sector has been hard hit as people focus on essentials.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2020
  • The tray also keeps must-have essentials for the day ready to go, like ID cards and house keys.
    Alida Nugent, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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