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

---

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

---

noun

1. a nonessential person or thing

Etymology

Origin of nonessential

First recorded in 1745–55; non- + essential

Example Sentences

High-energy particles from the Sun and deep space can also trigger computer errors that force spacecraft into "safe mode," temporarily shutting down nonessential systems until engineers resolve the issue.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2026

Wayfair said the year is off to a rocky start as consumers are pulling back on nonessential spending.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

“It becomes essential vs. nonessential spending,” said Kate Beattie, a senior retirement income strategist at Capital Group, who has studied sequence of returns risk.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

At banking software company Q2 Holdings in Austin, finance chief Jonathan Price told employees the company was taking aim at nonessential expenses that were too often wasteful, part of a larger effort to control costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Because of the severe weather, all nonessential emergency personnel have been sent home until such time that the weather allows them to return.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• unnecessary