nonessential

adjective

non·​es·​sen·​tial ˌnän-i-ˈsen(t)-shəl 

1

: not essential

2

: being a substance synthesized by the body in sufficient quantity to satisfy dietary needs

nonessential fatty acids

see also nonessential amino acid compare essential sense 2b

nonessential noun

Synonyms

• unnecessary

Examples of nonessential in a Sentence

All nonessential personnel had to be laid off.

Please avoid all nonessential uses of water.

Recent Examples on the Web

About 750,000 nonessential federal workers have been placed on furloughs amid the shutdown, the first closure of the government since 2019. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025

During a government shutdown, nonessential federal workers will be temporarily furloughed, and essential workers will stay on the job without pay while Congress resolves funding disputes. —Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025

During a shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers, those deemed nonessential, are furloughed, or sent home without pay. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Oct. 2025

The complex, which comprises 21 museums and the National Zoo, is classified as nonessential and would likely suspend operations if funding were to lapse. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nonessential

• nonessential amino acid

Rhymes for nonessential

• consequential
• deferential
• evidential
• existential
• exponential
• influential
• penitential
• precedential
• preferential
• presidential
• providential
• referential

Kids Definition

nonessential

adjective

non·​es·​sen·​tial ˌnän-i-ˈsen-chəl 

: not necessary or essential

nonessential noun

Medical Definition

nonessential

adjective

non·​es·​sen·​tial -i-ˈsen-chəl 

: being a substance synthesized by the body in sufficient quantity for normal health and growth

a nonessential fatty acid

compare essential