as in necessities
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
hiking boots are a must-have for this trip
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Recent Examples of must-haves
Score up to 73 percent off fall clothes, home essentials, kitchen must-haves, and more gems across categories.
—
Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
While there are plenty of beauty trends to unpack for next season, one of the biggest beauty must-haves of fashion week wasn’t a setting spray or gloss.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 22 Sep. 2025
Target is currently offering a slew of early deals on travel must-haves, including the Lands' End Wanderweight Ultralight Packable Down Jacket, which easily folds into itself for convenient transport.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025
Our must-haves for the season can be found, below.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Here are their vacation must-haves alongside tips for using the Visa Infinite card to unlock room upgrades, dining perks and exclusive access.
—Visa Infinite Asia Pacific, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Each week will spotlight different product categories, ranging from furniture and kitchen essentials to seasonal decor and organizational must-haves.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025
Dawn detailed all sorts of functional fashion staples like layers, bags, boots, and more must-haves for the season, plus textures to experiment with for some fun flair.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
One of her absolute must-haves is another playful dog friend in the home.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
While there are plenty of beauty trends to unpack for next season, one of the biggest beauty must-haves of fashion week wasn’t a setting spray or gloss.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 22 Sep. 2025
Target is currently offering a slew of early deals on travel must-haves, including the Lands' End Wanderweight Ultralight Packable Down Jacket, which easily folds into itself for convenient transport.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025
Our must-haves for the season can be found, below.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Here are their vacation must-haves alongside tips for using the Visa Infinite card to unlock room upgrades, dining perks and exclusive access.
—Visa Infinite Asia Pacific, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Each week will spotlight different product categories, ranging from furniture and kitchen essentials to seasonal decor and organizational must-haves.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025
Dawn detailed all sorts of functional fashion staples like layers, bags, boots, and more must-haves for the season, plus textures to experiment with for some fun flair.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
One of her absolute must-haves is another playful dog friend in the home.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for must-haves
Noun
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With thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, more may turn to food banks and pantries for necessities, according to Feeding America.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Local health leaders, including Ascension Saint Thomas CEO Fahad Tahir, warned that families may soon be forced to choose between basic necessities and health care.—
Beth Warren,
Nashville Tennessean,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Products like organic soap sprays and organic horticultural oil control smaller pests, while tree guards, netting, and fruit protection bags are musts for deterring birds and large critters such as groundhogs or raccoons, or deer that may damage the tree bark.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Sep. 2025
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Be sure to stop by DeLuca’s Pizza and SQZBX Brewery & Pizza Joint, which are musts after working up an appetite hiking the trails and boating the waterways.—
Caroline Rogers,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The sign — fixed high on the outside wall of the black and red painted concrete block building — was to be removed before demolition and donated to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/ Museum under the requirements of the demolition contract.—
Mary Spicuzza,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Other than Tennessee residency and legal citizenship, there were no other qualification requirements.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Must-haves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/must-haves. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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