NECESSITOUS Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

necessitous

adjective

ni-ˈse-sə-təs

Definition of necessitous

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

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

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessitous

Adjective

Expect Raman, whom City Hall opponents have long trashed as conflict-averse, to focus on a message of possibility and positivity while holding her ground and striking back — and hard — when necessary.

— Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Officials said no other evacuations were necessary and public safety employees and emergency responders remained on duty.

— Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of necessary

Adjective

The impoverished Reds work as slave labor in the mines of Mars, while the super-strong Golds rule the solar system and war on each other.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Prosecutors accuse him of participating in schemes to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuelan government programs intended to provide housing, food and other necessities to the country’s impoverished population.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of impoverished

Adjective

These appointments focus on urgent relief, but appointments and follow-ups that take a more preventative approach to identify underlying causes are available, too.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026
A week ago, a call between the US president and his Russian counterpart seemed to be about an urgent clarification over a possible outbreak of plague in Siberia.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of urgent

Adjective

This would be particularly relevant in contested environments where drones can observe roads, locate logistics convoys and attack vehicles carrying ammunition, fuel, food and other essential supplies.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Blaze, previously more peripheral to the adventure, became essential.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of essential

Adjective

Measles usually kills two or three people in every 1,000 cases, the WHO says, but the disease can be more deadly in poorer nations because of factors such as malnutrition.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
That receiver sends that poor defender into next week at the pylon.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

The cause was determined to be a lack of oxygen to the brain due to severe asthma with acute lung injury while fighting cold-like symptoms.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Other medications are used to treat acute relapses or manage symptoms such as fatigue, walking difficulties, spasticity and bladder problems.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of acute

Adjective

Traumatized into silence, the de facto orphan stays living with the kindly but guilt-ridden, grieving and impecunious Hiroshi.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Since then, it has been performed across much of the world, being ideally suited to these impecunious times and very masterfully written.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026

Definition of impecunious

Browse Nearby Words

necessities

necessitous

necessity

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Necessitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessitous. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of necessitous

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes