SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

Thesaurus

necessity

noun
Save Word

Synonyms & Antonyms of necessity

1 something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
  • on any road trip, accurate maps are a necessity

Synonyms for necessity

Words Related to necessity

Near Antonyms for necessity

Antonyms for necessity
2 the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
  • two years of unemployment had reduced the family to abject necessity

Synonyms for necessity

Words Related to necessity

Near Antonyms for necessity

Antonyms for necessity
See the Dictionary Definition 

Learn More About necessity

Time Traveler for necessity

Time Traveler

The first known use of necessity was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Thesaurus Entries Near necessity

necessitous

necessity

neck

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

More from Merriam-Webster on necessity

Nglish: Translation of necessity for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of necessity for Arabic Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

fomite

Listen to the pronunciation of fomite

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Farm Idioms Quiz

  • cow coming home
  • What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games