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necessary definition

nec·es·sary (nes′ə ser′ē)

adjective

  1. that cannot be dispensed with; essential; indispensable the nutriments necessary to life
  2. resulting from necessity; inevitable a necessary result
    1. that must be done; mandatory; not voluntary
    2. not free to choose; compelled by circumstances a necessary agent
  4. inherent in the situation; undeniable; unavoidable from the premises
  5. Archaic rendering some essential and intimate service

Etymology: ME < L necessarius < necesse, unavoidable, necessary < ne-, not + cedere, to give way: see cede

noun pl. necessaries -·sar′·ies

  1. a necessary thing; thing essential to life, some purpose, etc.: often used in pl.
  2. Dialectal a privy or toilet
  3. Law those things essential to maintaining a dependent or incompetent in comfort and well-being

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

necessary Synonyms

necessary

modif.

  1. Essential

    essential, requisite, expedient, needful, indispensable, needed, required, urgent, wanted, imperative, prerequisite, exigent, pressing, vital, cardinal, fundamental, significant, momentous, compulsory, mandatory, basic, paramount, obligatory, essential, compelling, incumbent on, incumbent upon, all-important, nuts-and-bolts, binding, specified, unavoidable, decisive, crucial, elementary, quintessential, chief, principal, prime, intrinsic, fixed, constant, permanent, determinate, inherent, ingrained, innate, without choice, without appeal; see also important 1.

    Antonyms unimportant*, unessential*, insignificant. *

  2. Inevitable

    unavoidable, undeniable, assured; see certain 2, imminent, inevitable.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

necessary Usage Examples

Preposition: for

  • purpose: Only information necessary for this purpose will be disclosed to them.

Infinitive complement

  • ensure: Rules are best kept to a minimum, but are necessary to ensure we adhere to the highest standards.

Modifies a noun

  • step: The necessary dosage steps should be determined by your doctor to suit your needs.

Used with adjective complement

  • deem: If any additional input from the Learning Support Teacher was deemed necessary, the parents would always be informed.

Preposition: in

  • order: No previous experience is necessary in order to take part in any of our courses.
necessary usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

necessary quotes

If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves? as they must be if the being subjected to the inconsistent, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of men, be the perfect condition of slavery? and if the essence of freedom consists, as our masters say it does, in having a standing rule to live by? And why is slavery so much condemnedandstroveagainst inonecase, andsohighly applauded, and held so necessary and so sacred in another?

-Astell, Mary

I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary.

-Atwood, Margaret Eleanor

It is necessary for mortals to be worn with toil.

-Euripides

necessary quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"necessary." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
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necessary. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/necessary

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