1
as in requirement
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
on any road trip, accurate maps are a necessity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
two years of unemployment had reduced the family to abject necessity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of necessity
First, the predominant previous assessment of many pundits that Gulf states’ collective large investments in defense were prestige driven — as opposed to a necessity — has fallen flat on its face.
—
Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Many outsiders visit the Jungle with offerings of food, clothing and other necessities.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Twenty minutes later, the officer introduced Jeanette Berry, founder and president of Operation Community Care, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing life necessities to youth, families and the homeless or displaced.
—Staff Artist, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
As advances in digital communications, data security, and transportation have made a team’s physical proximity to traditional financial centers less of a necessity, teams outside of these traditional hubs have been able to break through.
—William Jones, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Many outsiders visit the Jungle with offerings of food, clothing and other necessities.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Twenty minutes later, the officer introduced Jeanette Berry, founder and president of Operation Community Care, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing life necessities to youth, families and the homeless or displaced.
—Staff Artist, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
As advances in digital communications, data security, and transportation have made a team’s physical proximity to traditional financial centers less of a necessity, teams outside of these traditional hubs have been able to break through.
—William Jones, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessity
Noun
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The decision by Republicans to isolate the language on voter ID, part of days of rolling debate on the SAVE America Act, was spurred by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) insisting that Democrats do not oppose that specific requirement and have backed it in the past.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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An amendment that would require voters to show photo identification to cast a ballot failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday, despite Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying last week that Democrats were not opposed to such a requirement.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The pandemic programs expired and poverty rates bounced right back up to the old, dreadful, American levels.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Flores said the community continues to struggle with a range of problems, including poor air quality, high poverty rates, weak worker protections and crumbling infrastructure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Up to half of Cloud’s Rest is exposed and rocky—sunscreen, sturdy footwear, and a hat are musts.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Sheet masks are a must for me—they’re part of my wind-down routine at the hotel.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The transition from agricultural employment to factory employment involved wrenching mass migration, the utter misery of the Great Depression (as well as other brutal recessions, now faded from collective memory), and the painful dealmaking of the New Deal.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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In contrast, his wife, Chandravati, is selfish as a daughter-in-law and disrespects Swasthani, leading to enormous misery for her.—
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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