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

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

In March, the government rolled out fuel rationing, encouraging citizens to walk amid a growing transportation crisis, and later put nonessential state workers on leave to keep them at home.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 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

“And what’s more, I’m shutting down all nonessential flights until the present crisis is past.”

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Related Words

• unnecessary