indispensable

adjective

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

1

: absolutely necessary : essential

an indispensable member of the staff

2

: not subject to being set aside or neglected

an indispensable obligation

indispensability

ˌin-di-ˌspen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

indispensable noun

indispensableness

ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl-nəs 

noun

indispensably

ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• all-important
• critical
• essential
• imperative
• integral
• must-have
• necessary
• necessitous
• needed
• needful
• required
• requisite
• vital

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 on the Web

Advertisement The Culinary Union became an indispensable part of the turnout effort. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023

The logic is clear: China, especially since the Ukraine invasion, has become Russia’s main, indispensable ally. —Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2023

Those cheap but indispensable pieces of plastic were bumping along some conveyor belt in the airport’s bowels. —Mark Naida, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2023

His strategy of painting political rivals as illegitimate and un-American has—for the better part of a decade—chipped away at social and democratic norms that titans of jurisprudence have—for more than a century—called indispensable to a functioning democracy. —Dell Cameron, WIRED, 25 Aug. 2023

For many European officials, Biden restored the continuity of the U.S.’ commitment to Europe since World War II: a dependable, even indispensable, ally whose presence eased frictions among former European rivals and allowed the continent to cohere, while providing an ironclad security guarantee. —Steven Erlanger, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2023

Advertisement The messaging app became indispensable as the temblor downed phone lines. —Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2023

The former problem grew worse when the Ravens lost their most indispensable defender, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, to a foot injury that required surgery. —Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 4 Sep. 2023

Organizations indispensable to the creation of media are cutting staff and services, and in some cases, even risk closing. —Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Aug. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

indispensable

adjective

in·​dis·​pens·​able ˌin-dis-ˈpen(t)-sə-bəl 

: absolutely necessary : essential

an indispensable employee

indispensability

-ˌpen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Legal Definition

indispensable

adjective

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

: 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