necessarily
Americanadverb
-
by or of necessity; as a matter of compulsion or requirement.
You don't necessarily have to attend.
-
as a necessary, logical, or inevitable result.
That conclusion doesn't necessarily follow.
adverb
-
as an inevitable or natural consequence
girls do not necessarily like dolls
-
as a certainty
he won't necessarily come
Etymology
Origin of necessarily
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at necessary, -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb necessarily to mean inevitably. The best man won't necessarily have to speak at the wedding reception, but he should probably have a speech ready just in case. Necessarily also means as a logical result or consequence of some action. Your English composition grade is necessarily based on the work you turn in for the class. If you write fairly well, you won't necessarily get an A, but you just might. Necessarily is made up of the Latin roots ne, meaning not, and cedere, meaning yield. The adjective "necessary," from which necessarily comes, originally meant no backing away.
Vocabulary lists containing necessarily
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
SHSAT: Language of the Test
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Appeared in the January 17, 2026, print edition as 'Is Drinking Alone OK, Or Necessarily Lonely?'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026
Necessarily, such a measure will incorporate value judgements.
From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2024
The genius of Williams’s take on the Gershwins’ “It Ain’t Necessarily So” lies in both the context of this recording as well as its rich, ambling and contemplative content.
From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2023
Necessarily, it also stitches together a more linear narrative with a comforting resolution.
From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2022
Necessarily the greater number of them were harmful, if not always at any rate at certain times and in certain places.
From A Primer of Assyriology by Sayce, A. H. (Archibald Henry)
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.
