as in extra
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end
that large suitcase is unnecessary—we are only going to be away for a couple of days
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Recent Examples of unnecessary
But the far greater impact of this unnecessary and destructive war will be on the overall economies of our own nation and around the world.
—
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Cusson said the change initially struck him as unnecessary, but the company made a strong case.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
Or are early-season emotions sparking unnecessary outrage?
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Both practices negate the rule of one-third, exposing lawns to unnecessary stress.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Cusson said the change initially struck him as unnecessary, but the company made a strong case.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
Or are early-season emotions sparking unnecessary outrage?
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Both practices negate the rule of one-third, exposing lawns to unnecessary stress.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnecessary
Adjective
-
Philadelphia took advantage of extra chances early, notching 10 second-chance points in the opening frame.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
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News of the ocean liner’s peril was carved into a late, extra edition of the Tribune on April 15, 1912, and much of the account was devoted to the prominent people aboard.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Students are invited to participate in this optional summer program to strengthen their reading and math skills, as well as build social-emotional skills.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Escondido Union High gives its employees access to MagicSchool AI, along with optional training, and teachers can choose which of its tools to make available to students.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But then this mofo goes and memorizes totally needless ingredients in bacon ranch chicken sandwiches.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Prince Harry and Meghan and the Royal Rift The day will, of course, be about Phillips and Sperling and their union but needless to say many a royal wedding has been overshadowed by family drama in the past and there is the potential for this one to contain some elements of the royal soap opera.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If there’s a business model committed to preserving editorial quality and value, resources to invest in growth, and operators who actually know how to run media properties, the ownership structure is irrelevant.—
Jonathan Hunt,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Whatever entropy pre-existed in the Universe during inflation, or prior to it, is rendered wholly irrelevant.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The government also ordered nonessential employees to work remotely as authorities warned of flooding and possible landslides, with more than a dozen provinces under alert, including the capital, Santo Domingo.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The country has advised citizens to stay at home to avoid nonessential travel and to ride bicycles, carpool and use public transport.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There seemed to be an unwarranted frenzy in the speed at which everything was played, as if music were as much a sport as an artistic pursuit.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
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Grove City College argued that the federal government’s request amounted to unwarranted government intervention, because the college did not directly receive federal funding.—
Ryan Creps,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shell then became redundant within the Paramount Skydance C-suite.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
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Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems.—
Tom Liddy,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Many people are trying to protect themselves from becoming dispensable as the role of AI expands in the workplace, said Erik Brynjolfsson, an economics professor at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
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In any case, in the first heat of their serious adventures with men, female friends seemed dispensable.—
Tessa Hadley,
New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnecessary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnecessary. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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