unnecessarily
adverb
un·nec·es·sar·i·ly
ˌən-ˌne-sə-ˈser-ə-lē 
: not by necessity : to an unnecessary degree
unnecessarily harsh criticism
Examples of unnecessarily in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Republican lawmakers have argued these efforts unnecessarily disparage Americans.
—
Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 May 2026
If your job search is stuck, check if your target criteria are too narrow and limiting your search unnecessarily.
—Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
For the sake of both the NBA and his own stardom, Wembanyama would be wise to stick to sports and avoid unnecessarily cutting his potential fan base in half.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Protect your identification numbers Individuals should not carry a Social Security card in a wallet or give out their Social Security Number unnecessarily.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessarily
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Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 May 2026
If your job search is stuck, check if your target criteria are too narrow and limiting your search unnecessarily.
—Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
For the sake of both the NBA and his own stardom, Wembanyama would be wise to stick to sports and avoid unnecessarily cutting his potential fan base in half.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Protect your identification numbers Individuals should not carry a Social Security card in a wallet or give out their Social Security Number unnecessarily.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessarily
Cite this Entry
“Unnecessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unnecessarily. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unnecessarily
adverb
un·nec·es·sar·i·ly
ˌən-ˌnes-ə-ˈser-ə-lē
1
: not by necessity
spent money unnecessarily
2
: to an unnecessary degree
an unnecessarily harsh punishment
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