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

As their working relationship began, Martin allowed the young group to play their own instruments, record their own songs, and even sing with their working-class Northern accents intact (things not many other producers would’ve necessarily allowed at that time). —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025

The non-profit recognized that the traditional fee-for-service system, which pays providers for the number of hours billed rather than outcomes achieved, was driving costs upward without necessarily improving quality of life. —CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025

To have been able to say it to a lot of people who didn’t agree with me, necessarily, and see it through feels amazing. —Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Nov. 2025

That doesn’t mean the House majority is necessarily safe. —W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025

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