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
At the top of the list of must-haves for a home office, the ability to carve out a space that supports both work output and mental clarity is key.
—
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Our top eyebrow pencils A firm pencil and spoolie brush are must-haves for Amber Dreadon, a celebrity makeup artist.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
Shop my Amazon personal item must-haves, starting at just $4.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
Good footwear, plenty of water, and sun protection are must-haves.
—Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
Below, shop her seven wardrobe must-haves, starting at just $10.
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 15 Feb. 2026
Now, they’ve just been spotted on Coach models, who matched the jewelry box must-haves with color-happy, graphic sweaters and other threads.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Owala FreeSip Twist Water Bottle The Owala water bottle is a recent addition to her travel must-haves.
—Alex Nelson, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Prices have been trending higher – particularly for must-haves like groceries and electricity.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Our top eyebrow pencils A firm pencil and spoolie brush are must-haves for Amber Dreadon, a celebrity makeup artist.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
Shop my Amazon personal item must-haves, starting at just $4.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
Good footwear, plenty of water, and sun protection are must-haves.
—Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
Below, shop her seven wardrobe must-haves, starting at just $10.
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 15 Feb. 2026
Now, they’ve just been spotted on Coach models, who matched the jewelry box must-haves with color-happy, graphic sweaters and other threads.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Owala FreeSip Twist Water Bottle The Owala water bottle is a recent addition to her travel must-haves.
—Alex Nelson, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Prices have been trending higher – particularly for must-haves like groceries and electricity.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for must-haves
Noun
-
On the restricted side of the budget, where funds are spent on necessities that are restricted to specific expenses, revenues are $33 million while expenses are $35 million, Long said.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
About a quarter of Americans today live paycheck to paycheck, spending more than 95% of their income on necessities.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The company, however, remains entangled in several ongoing lawsuits, including one in which a state judge ruled last week that Sable still needed to comply with state and local requirements before a restart as outlined in the federal consent decree that followed the 2015 spill.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Peters was found guilty of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Broncos arrived at the NFL Combine with scant musts after graduating from the have-nots over the past two seasons.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Some are absolute musts, like clearing out any asbestos and making sure the plumbing is up to current standard.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Must-haves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/must-haves. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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