nonessential

or non-es·sen·tial

[ non-uh-sen-shuhl ]

/ ˌnɒn əˈsɛn ʃəl /

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See synonyms for: nonessential / nonessentials on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not essential; not necessary: Nonessential use of gasoline was forbidden during the war.

noun

a nonessential thing or person.

OTHER WORDS FOR nonessential

1 unnecessary, incidental, extrinsic.

See synonyms for nonessential on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of nonessential

First recorded in 1745–55; non- + essential

Words nearby nonessential

none of the above, none other than, nonequivalence, nones, none-so-pretty, nonessential, non est, nonesuch, nonet, nonetheless, none the wiser

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use nonessential in a sentence

In December, his account was temporarily disabled for violating Nextdoor’s “ranting” and “profanities” rules after he emphatically told nonessential workers to “stay the hell home” and to strictly observe social distancing measures.
How the Covid-19 pandemic broke Nextdoor|Rebecca Heilweil|February 9, 2021|Vox
Administrators had to issue an immediate campus-wide suspension of nonessential activities.
The Hard Lessons of Modeling the Coronavirus Pandemic|Jordana Cepelewicz|January 28, 2021|Quanta Magazine
It banned nonessential international travel and imposed strict requirements that fresh arrivals into its borders produce negative test results that are less than 24 hours old.
Denmark is sequencing all coronavirus samples and has an alarming view of the U.K. variant|Michael Birnbaum, Martin Selsoe Sorensen|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
A spike in sales bodes well for retailers, especially “nonessential” ones like Macy’s and Nordstrom that are still trying to claw back the sales they lost while their doors were shuttered earlier this year.
Americans are on track to buy more gift cards this holiday season than ever before|Rachel King|December 24, 2020|Fortune

About 20% of the bankruptcy filings were by nonessential retailers, according to S&P—far more than any other category.
14 of the biggest bankruptcies of 2020—and who might be next in 2021|Phil Wahba|December 21, 2020|Fortune
Deemed nonessential, the civilian DCMA employees have been furloughed.
Government Shuts Down and Private Sector Feels the Pain, Too|Daniel Gross|October 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Apparently, 72 percent of intelligence agency civilian workers have been deemed nonessential temporarily let go.
Seven Shutdown Winners, From the Newseum to Dollywood|Nina Strochlic|October 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She must decide which employees are “nonessential” and can therefore be furloughed.
How ‘Veep’ Nailed the Government Shutdown|Kevin Fallon|October 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
All nonessential personnel were being evacuated late Tuesday from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Despite Obama Administration’s Entreaties, Egyptian Military Deposes Morsi|Eli Lake, Josh Rogin|July 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Men who arrive anywhere in any direction always have the habit of ignoring the nonessential more or less strongly developed.
The Grain Of Dust|David Graham Phillips
And when he came the following day he apparently had once more restored her father to his proper place of a nonessential.
The Grain Of Dust|David Graham Phillips
Error and nonessential dividing lines will disappear if neglected.
Church Cooperation in Community Life|Paul L. Vogt
What is essential and what nonessential depends upon the particular end we have in view.
Studies in Logical Theory|John Dewey

British Dictionary definitions for nonessential

nonessential

/ (ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl) /

adjective

not essential; not necessary

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

noun

a nonessential person or thing

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

nonessential

or non-es·sen·tial

OTHER WORDS FOR nonessential

Origin of nonessential

Words nearby nonessential

Words related to nonessential

How to use nonessential in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nonessential