necessitous
Americanadjective
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destitute or impoverished; needy; indigent.
to aid a necessitous young mother.
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being essential or unavoidable.
a necessitous discharge of responsibilities.
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requiring immediate attention or action; urgent.
the necessitous demands of the oil shortage.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of necessitous
First recorded in 1605–15; necessit(y) + -ous
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.
Back in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt, in his inaugural address, pointed out that "a necessitous man is not a free man."
From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2022
“The first lady’s initiative, ‘Let Girls Learn’ is a fantastic one, and it’s a necessitous one, and this film absolutely speaks to that, ” he says.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 14, 2016
He raised $300,000 for destitute Belgians, $5,000 for a memorial to Antarctic Explorer Scott, $15,000 "to provide pensions for necessitous grandnieces" of Charles Dickens.
From Time Magazine Archive
All the tired phrases of tribute and condolence, worn nearly meaningless by necessitous convention, were heard in Washington.
From Time Magazine Archive
It is not to be supposed that the benefit of the public school system is shared only by the necessitous.
From The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 1, August, 1851 by Various
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