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if necessary

Definition of if necessary

: if it is needed Apply another coat of paint if necessary.

Word by Word Definitions

necessaryplay

: absolutely needed : required
: of an inevitable nature : inescapable
: logically unavoidable

: an indispensable item : essential

See the full definition of necessary

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up if necessary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

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WORD OF THE DAY

opine

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to state as an opinion

Words at Play

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Drawing a Conclusion About "Sketchy"

How did "sketchy" come to describe creeps?

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What's the Singular of 'Scissors'?

A tricky, double-edged word origin.

a-woman-waits-at-the-end-of-a-gloomy-pier-does-she-wait-for-charon-the-ferryman-to-the-underworld-it-is-dark-but-she-carries-a-parasol

Great Words for Twilight and Darkness

Words for the goth in all of us

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Helium: This Word Brought to You by a Solar Eclipse

And by the Sun, with some help from Greek.

Ask the Editors

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Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

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Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

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Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

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Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which word entered the English language first?

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Name More Food!

Test your knowledge of food vocabulary!

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Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

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Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

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