necessarily

[nes-uh-sair-uh-lee, -ser-]

adverb

1. by or of necessity; as a matter of compulsion or requirement.

   You don't necessarily have to attend.

2. as a necessary, logical, or inevitable result.

   That conclusion doesn't necessarily follow.

necessarily

/ ˌnɛsɪˈsɛrɪlɪ, ˈnɛsɪsərɪlɪ /

adverb

1. as an inevitable or natural consequence

   girls do not necessarily like dolls

2. as a certainty

   he won't necessarily come

Word History and Origins

Origin of necessarily¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; necessary, -ly

Example Sentences

"I don't necessarily feel that in a sense of a hangover," he said before the game in Brussels.

From BBC

Such resistance requires savvy planning and sharp thinking, though not necessarily centralized leadership.

From Salon

But that doesn’t necessarily mean the full playbook will be installed in a matter of weeks.

From Los Angeles Times

"That was more done for the player welfare part, than necessarily the performance side," says Griffin.

From BBC

Not being street homeless doesn't necessarily mean she isn't at risk, but it does mean she can't take part in this research.

From BBC

Related Words

• automatically 
• naturally 
• no doubt 
• undoubtedly 
• unquestionably