nonessential

Or non-es·sen·tial

[non-uh-sen-shuhl]

adjective

1. not essential; not necessary.

   Nonessential use of gasoline was forbidden during the war.

   Synonyms: extrinsic, incidental, unnecessary

noun

1. a nonessential thing or person.

nonessential

/ ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. not essential; not necessary

2. biochem (of an amino acid in a particular organism) able to be synthesized from other substances

noun

1. a nonessential person or thing

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonessential¹

First recorded in 1745–55; non- + essential

Example Sentences

Given the forecast, officials urged residents to avoid nonessential travel, and warned those who must go out to never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Since Veterans Day is a federal holiday, all nonessential federal government offices are closed.

Read more on MarketWatch

NRF expects consumers to seek savings on nonessential categories to spend more on gifts.

Read more on Barron's

But by doing a bit of planning around your nonessential purchases, you can quell some of that spending anxiety.

Read more on MarketWatch

Critics argue that a “nonessential” employee for shutdown purposes doesn’t mean unnecessary overall.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• unnecessary