1
as in required
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
an emissions test is necessary before you can renew the registration for your car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inevitable
impossible to avoid or evade
taxes will always be a necessary evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in essential
impossible to do without
food and water are necessary for survival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
a modest income that provided the family with only the necessaries of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of necessary
ABC News,
3 July 2026
These remain necessary disciplines, but hyperconnected systems do not fail in isolated ways.
—
Akhilesh Sharma,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
12 Apr. 2025
Among other necessaries will be Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor separating Gaza from Egypt, to ensure that Hamas can’t resupply itself with weapons.
—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessary
Adjective
Venturini said the money is necessary to clean and maintain the city.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
These remain necessary disciplines, but hyperconnected systems do not fail in isolated ways.
—
Akhilesh Sharma,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Noun
At George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation in Virginia there were several such necessaries on the grounds.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
12 Apr. 2025
Among other necessaries will be Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor separating Gaza from Egypt, to ensure that Hamas can’t resupply itself with weapons.
—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for necessary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessary
Adjective
-
The required Biblical passages and stories impact elementary, middle and high school levels and will take effect in the 2030-2031 school year.
-
Failure to respond within the required timeframe may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner, in Sponsor’s sole discretion.
Adjective
-
On the one hand, this does seem inevitable, both in terms of industry direction and the desire to cut costs however possible.
-
When its inevitable end arrives, the sun’s core will exhaust the last traces of hydrogen fuel and kick off the first stellar death pangs.
Adjective
-
Constant vigilance and education around water safety is essential.
-
Caftans are the underrated summer essential that bring breezy, effortless glamour to beach days, brunches, and evening plans alike.
Noun
-
Shrimp and mussels are a must for her seafood paella, though the queen of home cooking has also used lobster in the past.
-
While breakfast and lunch are first-come, first-serve, for dinner a reservation is a must.
Adjective
-
The evacuation order for Zone DUN-009-A was lifted, while Zone DUN-009-B remained under a mandatory evacuation order, according to the Genasys Protect service.
-
Like the mandatory monitoring list, it is updated only every five years.
Adjective
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
-
If stress builds, schedule a short stretch break and set softer deadlines where possible, because kindness to your body supports reliable output.
Adjective
-
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, who less than a week ago declared a state of emergency in his country following weeks of anti-government protests, said his country stood ready to provide any needed assistance.
-
But only in one of those years did the measure get the needed two-thirds supermajority, so the matter languished.
Noun
-
That means the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which is the local enforcement agency for these requirements in the region, will be in charge of monitoring whether businesses are following the law.
-
Since then, the mussels have spread through California waterways, prompting mandatory boat inspections and decontamination requirements at lakes and reservoirs statewide.
Cite this Entry
“Necessary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessary. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
