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nonessential 1 of 2

adjective

ˌnän-i-ˈsen(t)-shəl How to pronounce nonessential (audio)
Definition of nonessentialnext
as in unnecessary
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end money's tight, so we'll have to skip nonessential purchases

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonessential

2 of 2

noun

as in extravagance

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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 nonessential
Adjective
That could hurt businesses focusing on nonessential items and services for many people, such as travel and entertainment. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 The agency currently has no active Level 4 travel health notices, but does warn against nonessential travel to parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to an outbreak of Ebola there. — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2026
Noun
Anything deemed nonessential would be put on hold, so Americans could experience delays with certain services and hundreds of thousands of federal workers will go without pay. — Caitlyn Kim, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonessential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonessential
  1. unnecessary
  2. extravagance
  3. extra
  4. superfluity
  5. luxury
  6. indulgence
Adjective
  • Federal Reserve officials have in recent years avoided raising their benchmark lending rate, wary of doing unnecessary damage to the economy.
    — Matt Stiles, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Environmental critics called that assertion a lie, arguing the rollback will cause thousands of unnecessary deaths from pollution and trigger billions of dollars in additional health care costs.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of unnecessary
Noun
  • Fernández hoped that seeing the extravagance of a pre-conquest world and hearing the poetic nature of the Nahuatl language helps to empower Latinos to feel pride in and learn more about their culture.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • More rococo extravagance was revealed when the cake was cut into by the little Lyons nippy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of extravagance
Noun
  • If Windows crashes or won't boot, those extras disappear, but JetKVM itself keeps working because it is still connected directly to the computer's screen, keyboard and mouse.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Whatever cartel-like behavior does emerge will probably look less like coordinated price-fixing and more like the airline industry, which competes on reliability and bundled extras as the underlying product commoditizes.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of extra
Noun
  • The gap between the two suggests a superfluity that has long dogged the business.
    — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
  • So there was either a superfluity of honest Dublin women back in the day or a manager who moved around.
    — Anne Enright, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of superfluity
Noun
  • Alongside the luxury of the town, built on a former Greek and Phoenician colony, is its artistic and literary history.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Following the closure of Faviken in 2019, Nilsson has pivoted to quiet luxury on the shores of Bjäre—and his inn, co-managed by chef Frida Nilsson and Noma alum Daniella Rebelo, is the hottest opening in Sweden this year.
    — Michelle Tchea, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of luxury
Noun
  • Kick off your meal with a selection from the restaurant's impressive raw bar, which has a rotating offering of about 10 types of oysters daily—as well as the guilt-free indulgence of adding a dollop of caviar to any oyster for just $4.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Adding this biotin supplement to cart will also put you just a dollar away from iHerb’s free shipping threshold, as all orders over $25 qualify for this indulgence.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of indulgence

Browse Nearby Words

nonerotic
nonessential
nonessentials
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nonessential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonessential. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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