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Showing results for must-have. Search instead for Must-haves.
Synonyms

must-have

American  
[muhst-hav] / ˈmʌstˈhæv /

noun

  1. something considered absolutely necessary or essential to own.

    This cookbook is a must-have for chocolate lovers.

adjective

  1. essential to own.

    a must-have black cocktail dress.
must-have British  

noun

  1. an essential possession

    the mobile phone is now a must-have for children
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. essential

    a must-have fashion accessory
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of must-have

First recorded in 1835–40; noun use of verb phrase must have

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.

Rams coach Sean McVay, West Coast area scout Vito Gonella and director of scouting strategy James Gladstone identified Nacua as a must-have addition to a team coming off a horrendous 2022 Super Bowl hangover.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

But Warner was always a must-have for Paramount.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

A hidden-camera detector, widely sold online as a "must-have" for hotel guests, gave no warning they were being spied on.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Considering the 6,326-pound curb weight, the adaptive air suspension seems like a must-have.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

One other discovery by a European laboratory would help to establish the cyclotron as a must-have apparatus for physics research.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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.