unnecessarily

adverb

un·​nec·​es·​sar·​i·​ly ˌən-ˌne-sə-ˈser-ə-lē How to pronounce unnecessarily (audio)
: not by necessity : to an unnecessary degree
unnecessarily harsh criticism

Examples of unnecessarily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
People who are out there unnecessarily clogging our roads are putting others' safety at risk. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026 Leiter worked into the sixth only 10 times last season in large part due to high pitch counts and unnecessarily long innings. Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026 Opponents countered that the bill was duplicative of those prior efforts but might cast an even wider net to criminalize people unnecessarily. The Denver Post, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026 The decision unnecessarily endangers people of all ages and can cause a multitude of injuries. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unnecessarily

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unnecessarily was in 1565

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unnecessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unnecessarily. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

unnecessarily

adverb
un·​nec·​es·​sar·​i·​ly ˌən-ˌnes-ə-ˈser-ə-lē How to pronounce unnecessarily (audio)
1
: not by necessity
spent money unnecessarily
2
: to an unnecessary degree
an unnecessarily harsh punishment

More from Merriam-Webster on unnecessarily

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster