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
Debate over necessity Jillson said students already have the individual right to pray or join religious clubs at school.
—
Marissa Armas, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
British psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, who took part in a peyote ceremony with a First Nations group the Red Pheasant Band in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1956, intuited the necessity of community, empathy, and ego renunciation during the psychedelic process.
—Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Indeed, that’s how this whole endeavor started, not for sport or entertainment but necessity.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
As states and cities roll out strict building emissions caps, gas bans and net-zero targets, technologies that can deliver this kind of reliable, low-carbon heat are becoming more of a necessity.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Marissa Armas, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
British psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, who took part in a peyote ceremony with a First Nations group the Red Pheasant Band in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1956, intuited the necessity of community, empathy, and ego renunciation during the psychedelic process.
—Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Indeed, that’s how this whole endeavor started, not for sport or entertainment but necessity.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
As states and cities roll out strict building emissions caps, gas bans and net-zero targets, technologies that can deliver this kind of reliable, low-carbon heat are becoming more of a necessity.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for necessity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessity
Noun
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Afterwards, ByteDance rolled back that feature and introduced verification requirements for users who want to create digital avatars with their own images and audio, according to Chinese media.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Not all nurses are certified to be a SANE, and certification requirements vary by state, according to Sekula.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The other would have removed the requirement that districts obtain the Legislature’s approval before opting into the program that lets all kids in high-poverty schools eat for free.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2026
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But John Rogers, a professor of education at UCLA who has studied the link between money and learning, suggested a bigger issue in the new war on poverty is about self-image and expectation.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rib-sticking beef and pork dishes are the stars of the menu; ropa vieja, a Cuban stew made with shredded beef braised in tomato sauce and pepper sofrito, is a must-order for carnivores and omnivores.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The spa The spa is a must-visit while at Mohonk.—
Katie Mathews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pecola responds to her misery by trying to undo herself.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Sought book on prosecutorial misconduct In the bulk of his conversations, Nathan detailed the misery of jail life.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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