necessity

noun ne·ces·si·ty \ ni-ˈse-sə-tē , -ˈse-stē \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of necessity

plural necessities

1 : the quality or state of being necessary

He questioned the necessity for the change.

2 a : pressure of circumstance

The plane was compelled by necessity to change its course.

b : physical or moral compulsion

did it, not because he wanted to, but by necessity

c : impossibility of a contrary order or condition

submitting to the necessity imposed by the physical laws of the universe

3 : the quality or state of being in need; especially : poverty

had come to help them in their necessity

4 a : something that is necessary : requirement

Many families could not afford the bare necessities of life.

b : an urgent need or desire

When his father collapsed, an ambulance became a necessity.

— of necessity

: in such a way that it cannot be otherwise; also : as a necessary consequence

further changes will occur of necessity

See necessity defined for English-language learners

See necessity defined for kids

Examples of necessity in a Sentence

Sunscreen is an absolute necessity for the beach.
food, clothes, and other basic necessities
Getting plenty of rest is a necessity.
Without a car, living close to work is a necessity.
All we took with us on our hiking trip were the bare necessities.

Recent Examples of necessity from the Web

See much more from Chip and Jo, including their all-time favorite Fixer Upper makeovers and Joanna’s decorating necessities in The Best of HGTV issue, out now.

— mackenzie schmidt, PEOPLE.com, "Saying Goodbye to Fixer Upper: A Look Back at How Chip and Joanna Gaines Became America’s Sweethearts," 2 Apr. 2018
West Ham and Southampton face off in the Premier League on Saturday, with three points a necessity for both sides as relegation to the Championship continues to loom.

— SI.com, "West Ham vs Southampton Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battle, Team News & More," 30 Mar. 2018
The emerald ash borer, an invasive insect, has decimated local ash trees over the past 5-8 years, and is making removal of these trees a necessity for area property owners, Monday, August 14, 2017.

— forrest sellers, Cincinnati.com, "Indian Hill residents can help restore trees lost to emerald ash borer," 29 Mar. 2018
Most supporters were rabidly explicit about the amendment’s necessity in defending white supremacy.

— joseph crespino, WSJ, "Who Is the Real Atticus Finch?," 22 Mar. 2018
Since then, Uber, Waymo, Lyft, Intel, GM, and others have set up shop there, testing self-driving cars in real-world conditions—a necessity for eventually integrating them into cities.

— ian bogost, The Atlantic, "Can You Sue a Robocar?," 20 Mar. 2018
Issam Dhahi, a 45-year-old resident of the Qassaa neighborhood, said his two children haven’t been to school or university for the past 15 days, and the family only ventures out to buy necessities.

— Washington Post, "As deadly shells fall, fear spreads anew in Syrian capital," 24 Feb. 2018
There is a very tough balance between understanding this rejection of your current wife, and reckoning with your own desire to see your children -- and the necessity for adults to eventually accept one another's partners.

— amy dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Dad wants kids and new wife to meet," 17 Feb. 2018
In the way that history can be told in words, so too can it be read through craft — objects ingeniously fashioned out of necessity from whatever was on hand.

— deborah needleman, New York Times, "The Enduring Appeal of: Baskets," 15 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of necessity

Middle English necessite, from Anglo-French necessité, from Latin necessitat-, necessitas, from necesse

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

necessity Synonyms

NECESSITY Defined for English Language Learners

necessity

noun

Definition of necessity for English Language Learners

: something that you must have or do : something that is necessary
: the quality of being necessary

NECESSITY Defined for Kids

necessity

noun ne·ces·si·ty \ ni-ˈse-sə-tē \

Definition of necessity for Students

plural necessities

1 : the state of things that forces certain actions

The necessity of eating forced her to work.

2 : very great need

Call us for help in case of necessity.

3 : the state of being in need : poverty

I am forced by necessity to beg.

4 : something that is badly needed

He bought a few necessities before his trip.

Law Dictionary

necessity

noun ne·ces·si·ty

legal Definition of necessity

plural necessities

1 a : the presence or pressure of circumstances that justify or compel a certain course of action; especially : a need to respond or react to a dangerous situation by committing a criminal act

b : an affirmative defense originating in common law that the defendant had to commit a criminal act because of the pressure of a situation that threatened a harm greater than that resulting from the act — see also choice of evils defense at defense 2a — compare duress, undue influence

2 : something that is necessary especially to subsistence