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
Welfare spending and critical social services, for instance, become downstream necessities, mitigating the precarity and homelessness that directly result from an economic model built to serve the needs of the rich.
—
Daniel Wortel-London, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
American creators continue to draw deeply from Chinese pop culture and technology—not out of political alignment, but out of creative curiosity and necessity.
—Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Kelly Clarkson’s home line at Wayfair is brimming with charming furniture and home decor, and right now there are major savings on one other must-have that’s a necessity for summer: breathable bedding.
—Ali Faccenda, People.com, 23 June 2025
Trump sees this as both an economic and national security necessity, seeking to repatriate key supply chains home from global rivals and hostile nations, and to rebuild an American manufacturing base that can provide high-paying jobs.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Daniel Wortel-London, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
American creators continue to draw deeply from Chinese pop culture and technology—not out of political alignment, but out of creative curiosity and necessity.
—Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Kelly Clarkson’s home line at Wayfair is brimming with charming furniture and home decor, and right now there are major savings on one other must-have that’s a necessity for summer: breathable bedding.
—Ali Faccenda, People.com, 23 June 2025
Trump sees this as both an economic and national security necessity, seeking to repatriate key supply chains home from global rivals and hostile nations, and to rebuild an American manufacturing base that can provide high-paying jobs.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessity
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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The researchers also compiled data on four key negative social conditions – corruption, inequality, poverty and violence – of 183 countries and all 50 US states, going back 20 years to see if there was a connection.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
20 June 2025
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Inequality is poverty’s foremost enemy, not statistics and Census figures.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
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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
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To keep our existing customers engaged and attract new ones, continuous product improvement is a must.—
Illia Smoliienko,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Humidity is adding to the misery Oppressive humidity is accompanying the heat wave, according to Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
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Cuomo, age 67 and one of the last powerful men to succumb to the #MeToo movement, is an unlikely standard-bearer for a Democratic Party desperate to move on from the miseries of the past decade, but New York politics isn’t famous for its uncomplicated options.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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