as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
an extensive grounding in mathematics is a sine qua non for a career in architecture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sine qua non
At that point, sunglasses lose their sine qua non purpose to protect our eyes, becoming a purely ornamental element capable of elevating an entire outfit.
—
Teresa Romero Martínez, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2025
The sine qua non for an economic deal is that Ukrainian leadership wants a peace deal.
—CBS News, 2 Mar. 2025
For those in Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, direct experience in the liberation war is a sine qua non for any successor candidate.
—Philip Martin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2017
Both machines must be designed for ridiculously demanding environments—the sine qua non is ultrafast and ultra-accurate logging and triage of billions of events per second in a typhoon of radiation under magnetic fields otherwise found only in MRI machines.
—Douglas McCormick, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Sep. 2012
See All Example Sentences for sine qua non
Teresa Romero Martínez, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2025
The sine qua non for an economic deal is that Ukrainian leadership wants a peace deal.
—CBS News, 2 Mar. 2025
For those in Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, direct experience in the liberation war is a sine qua non for any successor candidate.
—Philip Martin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2017
Both machines must be designed for ridiculously demanding environments—the sine qua non is ultrafast and ultra-accurate logging and triage of billions of events per second in a typhoon of radiation under magnetic fields otherwise found only in MRI machines.
—Douglas McCormick, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Sep. 2012
See All Example Sentences for sine qua non
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sine qua non
Noun
-
Keeping clean and precise transaction records to protect themselves is a must, as the Department of Justice and Customs and Border Protection have been tasked with cracking down on any attempts at tariff evasion.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
28 Jan. 2026
-
For a neighborhood favorite, Loretta’s Pralines on Rampart Street is a must.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Failed units must be remediated or tenants relocated within 30 days, as well as the establishment of a complaint hotline for 24/7 reporting and the requirement of a landlord response within five business days.—
JAMES HERRERA MONTEREY HERALD,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But under the bill, land-use changes outside the Urban Development Boundary would require a simple majority vote, which is the current requirement for changes inside the boundary.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the last century, scientists have found bountiful evidence of complexity and engineering in living systems that seems highly unlikely to have emerged from a world of evolved necessity.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Two out of 3 Americans surveyed, 66%, are worried about paying for health care — more than other household necessities such as utilities, food and groceries, housing and rent, and gasoline and transportation, according to a poll published Thursday by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sine qua non.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sine%20qua%20non. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
