1
as in required
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
an emissions test is necessary before you can renew the registration for your car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inevitable
impossible to avoid or evade
taxes will always be a necessary evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in essential
impossible to do without
food and water are necessary for survival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
a modest income that provided the family with only the necessaries of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of necessary
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
And the Trump administration has framed its unilateralism as a necessary response to China’s actions.
—Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Warren Kulo | Wkulo@al.com, al, 19 Apr. 2023
Yet its location on a critical trade route through the Strait of Gibraltar and the challenge of Barbary pirates in the vicinity made a more official presence for the American necessary.
—Graham Cornwell, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 May 2021
See All Example Sentences for necessary
Adjective
Without marketing, firms would be unable to get information out necessary to make a drug salable in the first place.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
And the Trump administration has framed its unilateralism as a necessary response to China’s actions.
—Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Noun
Blakely has been charged with capital murder, while Washington is charged with child deprivation of necessaries with substantial harm.
—Warren Kulo | Wkulo@al.com, al, 19 Apr. 2023
Yet its location on a critical trade route through the Strait of Gibraltar and the challenge of Barbary pirates in the vicinity made a more official presence for the American necessary.
—Graham Cornwell, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 May 2021
See All Example Sentences for necessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessary
Adjective
-
Doing so required China, Russia, and Washington’s European allies to sign on to a sanctions regime.—
KORI SCHAKE,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
-
These aren’t participation trophies but achievements that required skill, preparation and genuine contribution.—
Sughnen Yongo,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
For years, our young, living in shelters, couch surfing and living on the edge, always surrounded by violence, have been conditioned to believe that prison and early death were their inevitable future.—
Asha Bandele,
Essence,
25 June 2025
-
Early adopters can provide critical feedback that shapes your product while demonstrating enough technical aptitude to work through inevitable early-stage bugs and limitations.—
Adi Bathla,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
So, keeping a stock of band aids in your carry-on is essential.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2025
-
They were often found handing out doughnuts to essential workers in 2020 and 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
Reebok Women's Classic Az Legacy Sneakers Comfy walking shoes are a must, given how much walking a trip to Japan entails.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2025
-
To keep our existing customers engaged and attract new ones, continuous product improvement is a must.—
Illia Smoliienko,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Efficiency is mandatory, and speed of execution is everything.—
Marc Scheipe,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
Military service in Israel is mandatory, and has become even more depended on as the country gets entangled in ever more regional conflicts.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Much of this equipment, Weinreb notes, is at the cutting edge of the field, allowing imaging of the retina and other eye structures that was not possible not long ago.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
-
This might signal that the two are also getting ready for a possible upcoming change.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
For instance, the Nevada Department of Transportation has adopted Commvault’s PQC tools to meet government security requirements and protect sensitive information.—
Robert Kramer,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
To choose a floor plan that works for your family now—and ten years from now—experts recommend considering key factors such as lifestyle needs, site-specific restrictions, storage requirements, long-term family planning, and budget constraints.—
Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
In a landmark move aimed at bolstering Denmark's military readiness, the Scandinavian country is extending compulsory enlistment to women for the first time.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
Her boyfriend was on an Iranian base doing compulsory military service; unreachable and potentially in danger.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Necessary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessary. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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