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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.

And while it didn’t exactly fly off the shelves, its concurrence with the height of the Seattle grunge music scene made the disheveled aesthetic a street-style must-have.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

The game-changer, she said, would come if a company could differentiate itself with a must-have product.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Fallow deer were first introduced by the Romans in small numbers, and the species expanded under the Normans when owning a deer park was a must-have for any self-respecting nobleman.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025

With the holiday travel season ramping up, a good book is a must-have for airport delays or to give as the perfect gift.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025

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.