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.

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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

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adjective

1. essential

   a must-have fashion accessory

Etymology

Origin of must-have

First recorded in 1835–40; noun use of verb phrase must have

Example Sentences

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

Twenty years ago, the must-have entertainment accessory was the iPod, and Netflix customers had to wait for DVDs to arrive in the mail.

From The Wall Street Journal

Check out more great deals, like 65% off this 3-in-1 charging dock that’s a must-have for Apple users.

From Salon

Dries van Noten's Julian Klausner paid homage to the 1990s/early noughties with his maxi denim skirts with the must-have high split.

From BBC

Paramount is expected to merge its Paramount+ service with Warner Bros' HBO Max to create what it hopes would be a must-have streaming service that can hold its own against competitors Netflix, Amazon and Disney.

From BBC

Related Words

• critical
• essential
• fundamental
• indispensable
• necessary
• required
• requisite
• vital