essential
adjective
absolutely necessary; indispensable.
essentials
-
pluralof essential.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
A reliable indicator of economic health is real disposable income, which tracks how much extra money people actually have after essentials are paid for.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
The government has instituted a heavily subsidized exchange rate for up to $3.5 billion of imports such as wheat, medicine and baby formula, giving priority to essentials over other uses of scarce dollars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Those riches still underpin the economy and help fund government spending on essentials like healthcare and housing.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
While TJ acknowledges her family is fortunate enough to afford it, she says the sticker shock from inflation is real — and it’s changing how she shops for everyday essentials.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
The few days of lead time were just enough to scope out the bare essentials of her new life: the location of the nearest AME church, mealtimes at the Lucy home, and transportation to work.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
