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.
Airports swell with families, departure boards flicker with delays and suddenly even the most routine trip feels unnecessarily complicated. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025 As for the after-show, the highlight (other than Jawan overfilling his champagne glass) had to be Jeff listing all the idols and advantages that were played incorrectly or unnecessarily. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025 More Effective Heating Alternatives To save money on your heating bill without unnecessarily heating unused areas of your home, try these alternatives to closing your heating vents. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025 To avoid throwing away food unnecessarily, make sure to avoid this scenario in the future. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2025 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 Dec. 2025.

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
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