as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
an extensive grounding in mathematics is a sine qua non for a career in architecture
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Recent Examples of sine qua non
The sine qua non of any business is to generate profits.
—
Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
While not denying the parallels between Muggle and magical technologies, Oakes’s conclusions depend on ignoring magical people’s complete dependence on a wand—the indisputable sine qua non of reliable spellwork.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Possessing ethical values is a sine qua non for any political leader, regardless of political affiliation.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 5 June 2025
In fact, there is absolutely no reason, sociologic or economic, for the claim that an energetic, powerful battery is the sine qua non of commercial electric automobility.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
See All Example Sentences for sine qua non
Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
While not denying the parallels between Muggle and magical technologies, Oakes’s conclusions depend on ignoring magical people’s complete dependence on a wand—the indisputable sine qua non of reliable spellwork.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Possessing ethical values is a sine qua non for any political leader, regardless of political affiliation.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 5 June 2025
In fact, there is absolutely no reason, sociologic or economic, for the claim that an energetic, powerful battery is the sine qua non of commercial electric automobility.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
See All Example Sentences for sine qua non
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sine qua non
Noun
-
The humidity will go up big time from the morning to the evening, from humid to muggy, so shorts are a must, along with having the umbrella handy just in case.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
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While shutting down airspace isn’t really an option, despite how many times Cowie admits he’s tried to do for his high-end clients, coordinating with local police departments is a must.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Providers must also cover rent or mortgage payments, insurance, food, utilities, supplies, maintenance and regulatory requirements.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
The requirement that employers bargain with workers before deploying the automation that could replace them — the one protection that would have put machinists like me at the table before the decision was made.—
Heather Merrick,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Many such workers have been especially hard-hit by the inflation of the past few years, which has raised the cost of necessities like housing, day care and food much more than other goods and services.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Dec. 2025
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District Court Judge Ana Reyes previously found that challengers were likely to succeed on the merits, concluding that the policy appeared rooted in disapproval of transgender identity rather than military necessity.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sine qua non.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sine%20qua%20non. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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