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
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
Some are fast to embrace the admittedly exciting bold new possibilities of Artificial Intelligence as the future sine qua non of effective schooling.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
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
Some are fast to embrace the admittedly exciting bold new possibilities of Artificial Intelligence as the future sine qua non of effective schooling.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
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
-
The best-selling Jemluse Wireless CarPlay Adapter, now 50 percent off, is a must for hands-free convenience in the car.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Gallery Wall Wood Frame Set If your resolution includes finally framing photos that have been hiding in your phone for months, this set is a must.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Both are qualified to meet FAA surveillance requirements through prior test-site certification activities.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
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AHPs were once far more accessible, but that changed with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which required many AHPs to comply with coverage requirements that drove up AHPs’ costs.—
Justin Leventhal,
Boston Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Like the vast, uncaring jungle in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the Tyranids are an irresistible force that seeks to surround and destroy humanity through the weight of pure biological necessity.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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But as watches shifted from necessities to collectibles, history became a focal point—providing bragging rights, narrative, and value marker.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sine qua non.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sine%20qua%20non. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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