necessarily

adverb

nec·​es·​sar·​i·​ly ˌne-sə-ˈser-ə-lē 

1

: of necessity : unavoidably

The audience was necessarily small.

This endeavor necessarily involves some risk.

2

: as a logical result or consequence

… a holocaust is a disaster, but a disaster is not necessarily a holocaust.

—Harry Shaw

Synonyms of necessarily

• inevitably

Examples of necessarily in a Sentence

the argument that the existence of the universe necessarily implies the existence of an all-powerful being responsible for creating it

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike other Western leaders—and the foreign-policy establishment in Washington—Sánchez sees China in more pragmatic terms rather than as necessarily a strategic rival. —Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 May 2026

Seeing a fawn alone doesn't necessarily mean it's abandoned; the mother is likely nearby and observing. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 13 May 2026

Travelers may also discover that paying more does not necessarily mean getting more. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 May 2026

While not necessarily a help for pre-sales, the Middle East has become a major source of entertainment and media industry finance. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing necessarily

• not necessarily

Rhymes for necessarily

• arbitrarily
• customarily
• militarily
• momentarily
• ordinarily
• secondarily
• temporarily
• voluntarily
• airily
• caroli
• merrily
• verily