nonessential

American  

[non-uh-sen-shuhl] / ˌnɒn əˈsɛn ʃəl /

Or non-essential

adjective

1. not essential; not necessary.

   Nonessential use of gasoline was forbidden during the war.

   Synonyms:

   extrinsic, incidental, unnecessary

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noun

1. a nonessential thing or person.

nonessential British  

/ ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. not essential; not necessary

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

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noun

1. a nonessential person or thing

Etymology

Origin of nonessential

First recorded in 1745–55; non- + essential

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nonessential

Labor Day is a federal holiday, and therefore all nonessential federal government offices are closed.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Blair said shelters closed their doors because the facilities were deemed nonessential, and as a result, many animals were not spayed and neutered and many were left on the street.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

The operator has asked commuters to avoid nonessential travel and to work from home if a strike occurs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

This is particularly problematic for consumer discretionary companies—those that sell nonessential goods ands services.

From Barron's ● May 15, 2026

First, I put the Hab on low-power mode: no internal lights, all nonessential systems offline, all internal heating suspended.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• unnecessary