1
as in necessary
impossible to do without
all the dreaded, necessitous decisions that one must make when arranging the funeral of a loved one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
amidst the holiday feasting, merrymaking and spending, it was easy to overlook the necessitous members of the community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
firmly of the belief that no matter is so necessitous that it cannot be put off until tomorrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of necessitous
Exclusive dedication to necessitous employment without interludes of hedonistic diversion renders John a bland young male.
—
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Oct. 2021
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessitous
Adjective
-
Doctors complain the process is burdensome and it's often used to delay or deny medically necessary medical care for patients.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
-
For many, rocking garments and accessories that reflect the richness of Black history while moving in rhythm to the soundtracks of the holiday’s celebration was not just a necessary reprieve, but a spiritual embrace.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
-
Known collectively as Hessians, since most Germans hired by London to fight in America came from Hesse-Kassel, this contingent was largely from the small, impoverished duchy of Brunswick, whose ruling family had intermarried with the British royal family.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Too Much Going On Limits Executive Team Performance Today’s executive teams are pulled in more directions than ever—global priorities, cross-functional initiatives, urgent issues, never-ending decks.—
Elizabeth Freedman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
In response, researchers and experts are sounding the alarm—calling for urgent, comprehensive solutions to reverse these trends and support youth wellbeing.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
Despite having a poor 2024 season that saw the Pirates remove Bednar from the closer role, the right-hander is back to his dominant form.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
The key drivers are BGE’s soaring spending and profits and poor management by PJM Interconnection, the private entity that operates our electric grid.—
Emily Scarr,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Since then, Ben & Jerry’s politics have been a headache for its parent, and the tensions between the two have grown more acute as the business community got swept into the culture wars — first pulled to the left in the mid-2010s, then retreating rightward under the second Trump administration.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
-
Decades later, that feeling is more acute: the gay beach in Chicago where it was taken no longer exists, memorialized today by a 2.5-acre garden in memory of those who lost their lives to AIDS.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Who promises tomorrows to a whole needful planet, restrikes that match?—
Corey Van Landingham,
The New Yorker,
19 June 2023
-
What sort of response was needful?—
Razib Khan,
Discover Magazine,
14 Jan. 2013
Adjective
-
Lillian Feldman was born to impecunious Jewish emigres in Cincinnati on July 13, 1927, the twelfth of thirteen children who were encouraged by their mother to draw on the walls.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
17 Oct. 2024
-
Among them is the sardonic confidant, St. Quentin; the down-at-the-heels military man, Major Brutt; and the impecunious, high-living chancer, Eddie.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
18 Nov. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Necessitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessitous. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share