unnecessary
Americanadjective
noun
plural
unnecessariesadjective
Other Word Forms
- unnecessarily adverb
- unnecessariness noun
Etymology
Origin of unnecessary
Explanation
Anything that is extra or not needed is unnecessary. Wearing long underwear in July is an unnecessary precaution against being cold. If you don't need something, it's unnecessary. You take an unnecessary risk if you get in the car and don't bother to fasten your seatbelt. Driving your car when you could ride a bike instead is an unnecessary use of gasoline. If you keep dropping you pen in class, your teacher might say, "That's unnecessary." Walking your dog with two leashes is definitely unnecessary. That's obvious, but lots of times it's hard to tell what's necessary and what's unnecessary.
Vocabulary lists containing unnecessary
List 3
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List 9
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"New Michigan Graduation Requirements Shortchange Many Students"
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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 lobbyist for San Diego Gas & Electric said he believed the audits were unnecessary because the commission was already reviewing the spending.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Nepal's government has developed tough measures to stamp out insurance scams involving unnecessary helicopter rescues of trekkers, an official said Tuesday, a long-running racket threatening the country's vital tourism industry.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The UConn legend is still trying to climb out after an unnecessary clash with South Carolina rival Dawn Staley.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
A spokesperson for the operator denied that residents faced unnecessary obstacles in getting their money back.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
It always felt like they had something better to do, and that unlike the rest of us, they understood that high school was an unnecessary social construct.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
