Definition of unnecessary
: not necessary
Explore Merriam-Webster
Examples of unnecessary in a Sentence
In this city, owning a car is unnecessary.
Let's not take any unnecessary risks.
Recent Examples of unnecessary from the Web
-
Similarly, Goop has also recommended vaginal steam cleaning, which is unnecessary because the vagina is self-cleaning.
-
There are a few other small missteps like this, as well as some elements that are unnecessary.
-
Five doctors and two others in and around metro Detroit face felony charges in connection with $132 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for medically unnecessary treatments, according to a federal indictment.
-
Critics of the practice, who include some surgeons and patient safety advocates, say that double-booking adds unnecessary risk, erodes trust and primarily enriches specialists.
-
Programs like these can breathe new life into old weapons, making purchasing new ones unnecessary.
-
And certain cinematic bombs, like last summer's dazzling failures Independence Day: Resurgence and Alice Through the Looking Glass, are so unnecessary that no one likes them.
-
Nor does Homecoming, rather miraculously, ever feel as unnecessary as Marc Webb’s two recent Spider-Man attempts.
-
Such measures would reduce premiums for typical consumers, but also radically diminish the quality of their coverage — a trade-off that voters haven’t clamored for, and that Donald Trump has portrayed as unnecessary.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unnecessary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of unnecessary
15th century
UNNECESSARY Defined for English Language Learners
unnecessary
playDefinition of unnecessary for English Language Learners
-
: not needed or necessary
UNNECESSARY Defined for Kids
unnecessary
playDefinition of unnecessary for Students
: not needed
unnecessarily
\ˈən-ˌne-sə-ˈser-ə-lē\ adverbLearn More about unnecessary
-
See words that rhyme with unnecessary Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unnecessary Spanish Central: Translation of unnecessary Nglish: Translation of unnecessary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of unnecessary for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up unnecessary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!