unnecessary
Americanadjective
noun
plural
unnecessariesadjective
Other Word Forms
- unnecessarily adverb
- unnecessariness noun
Etymology
Origin of unnecessary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The current requirement that lenders use three credit scores—known as tri-merge—is an anachronism and adds unnecessary costs to borrowers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The company, for example, called the separation of the roles of broker, exchange, and custodian into different firms a “a legacy of a paper-based system” unnecessary in the tokenized universe.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
"A ban on trail hunting is unnecessary, unjustified and unfair," he said.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Lenders say that pulling credit records from all three bureaus adds unnecessary costs, though credit checks account for less than 1% of the cost of originating a mortgage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Standing up, it’s easier to scan the savannah for game or enemies, and arms that are unnecessary for locomotion are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signalling.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
