indispensable

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adjective in·dis·pens·able \ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl\

Definition of indispensable

1 : not subject to being set aside or neglected an indispensable obligation
2 : absolutely necessary : essential an indispensable member of the staff

indispensability

play \ˌin-di-ˌspen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

indispensable

noun

indispensableness

play \ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl-nəs\ noun

indispensably

play \ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-blē\ adverb

See indispensable defined for English-language learners

See indispensable defined for kids

Examples of indispensable in a Sentence

fully aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth

Recent Examples of indispensable from the Web

Like a white oxford or black jeans, a chambray shirt is the kind of indispensable wardrobe staple every man should own.

— liza corsillo, GQ, "The Best Chambray Shirt for Staying Cool This Summer", 1 July 2017
PREPARATION AND TIPS AAA provided guidebooks and Google Maps was indispensable in planning the route.

— eva parziale, chicagotribune.com, "Sightseeing on a 500-mile-a-day road trip? You can do it!", 29 June 2017
Before you jet (or drive) off to your next getaway, read through some indispensable travel tips from famous women who’ve trotted all over the globe.

— julie ma, The Cut, "25 Famous Women on the Pleasures of Traveling", 23 June 2017
Military and law enforcement dogs have saved countless lives and proven themselves indispensable for decades.

— meg jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Fort Atkinson memorializes war dogs and one of its own", 23 June 2017
What started in 1985 as a startup co-founded by a UC San Diego professor has grown into a company that has invented the technologies that make smartphones indispensable in our lives.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "Cities need strong leaders to compete across globe", 22 June 2017
Essentially medical travel agents, these providers help surgery hopefuls plan and facilitate every step of a trip, and seem to have no trouble convincing even the thriftiest patients that coordination services are indispensable.

— linni kral, Condé Nast Traveler, "The New Face of Medical Tourism", 19 June 2017
Less than a decade old, this protean object has become the universal, all-but-indispensable mediator of everyday life.

— Longreads, "A Sociology of the Smartphone", 14 June 2017
By Tuesday, Trump himself was involved, adding fuel to the rivalry by tweeting support for the Saudi coalition – despite Qatar’s indispensable role in United States’ military operations in the region.

— jen kirby, Daily Intelligencer, "What the Hell Is Happening With Qatar?", 11 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indispensable'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of indispensable

1653

INDISPENSABLE Defined for English Language Learners

indispensable

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adjective

Definition of indispensable for English Language Learners

: extremely important and necessary

INDISPENSABLE Defined for Kids

indispensable

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adjective in·dis·pens·able \ˌin-di-ˈspen-sə-bəl\

Definition of indispensable for Students

: extremely important or necessary : essential indispensable workers

Law Dictionary

indispensable

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adjective in·dis·pen·sa·ble \ˌin-di-ˈspen-sə-bəl\

Legal Definition of indispensable

: having rights so connected to the claims of the parties to an action that the action cannot be adjudicated without affecting those rights — see also indispensable party at party