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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unnecessary
Every unnecessary layer of process can discourage investment.
—
Walter Mosely, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
The Neo makes that financial parkour unnecessary.
—PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab urged residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary movement, warning that many trees had fallen and crews were working to clear roads.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, and staying hydrated can prevent unnecessary snacking.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Walter Mosely, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
The Neo makes that financial parkour unnecessary.
—PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab urged residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary movement, warning that many trees had fallen and crews were working to clear roads.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, and staying hydrated can prevent unnecessary snacking.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnecessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnecessary
Adjective
-
Minnelli haggled with doctors for extra pills, was left home alone with her infant sister, and once used garden shears to slice open a screen window when Garland locked herself in a bathroom, threatening to overdose.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
For now, Hill isn’t making any specific recommendations for how to allocate the extra cash.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The question box includes a space for your name, but this is optional.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
No payday lender ever made the payment of fees and interest optional.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And needless to say, there is some credence to the rumor, given Wheatley and Newey’s long and successful working relationship at Red Bull, where Wheatley served as sporting director and made a significant contribution to the team’s success.—
Jerry Perez,
The Drive,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Anthropic, perhaps needless to say, disagrees.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In sports like running, this sort of physical awareness is less important (though not entirely irrelevant).—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
22 Mar. 2026
-
These virtues are not irrelevant relics.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Are we prepared to reduce nonessential spending and benefits?—
Carol Mendelson,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The decision of who is deemed essential and nonessential, for example, depends on department personnel, while salary appropriations can be impacted by lapses in the congressional budget, which occur multiple times a year.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
DraftKings might also argue that a temporary restraining order is unwarranted since if the company has violated the NCAA’s marks, a court could later empirically assess damages and issue monetary damages.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Any concerns about 11-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce’s career continuing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 were apparently unwarranted.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
McDonald responded directly to speculation that this fraud division would be redundant during his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Meyer said the petitions are not redundant.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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 27 Mar. 2026.
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