DEFINITIONS
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necessity

[ nuh-ses-i-tee ]
/ nəˈsɛs ɪ ti /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR necessity ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural ne·ces·si·ties.

Content related to necessity

How Do You Write In The Subjunctive Mood?The subjunctive mood is a way of talking about unreal or conditional situations. You can also use it to describe desires, wishes, needs, or intentions. You’ll often see it as the format for idioms and expressions. Unreal Situations The most common use of the subjunctive mood to express imaginary or hypothetical situations. It’s often used in if clauses. To show the subjunctive mood, you should …
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Queen of HeartsRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
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Words related to necessity

naturally, unquestionably, undoubtedly, automatically, accordingly, consequently, fundamentally, indubitably, perforce, positively, willy-nilly, axiomatically, cardinally, compulsorily, incontrovertibly, ineluctably, inescapably, inexorably, irresistibly, significantly

Words nearby necessity

necessitarian, necessitarianism, necessitate, necessitous, necessitude, necessity, necessity is the mother of invention, nechako, neches, necho, neck

Idioms for necessity

    of necessity, as an inevitable result; unavoidably; necessarily: Our trip to China must of necessity be postponed for a while.

Origin of necessity

1325–75; Middle English necessite < Latin necessitās, equivalent to necess(e) needful + -itās -ity

OTHER WORDS FROM necessity

non·ne·ces·si·ty, noun, plural non·ne·ces·si·ties.su·per·ne·ces·si·ty, noun, plural su·per·ne·ces·si·ties.

synonym study for necessity

3. See need.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for of necessity

necessity
/ (nɪˈsɛsɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

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

Idioms and Phrases with of necessity (1 of 2)

of necessity

Also, out of necessity. As an inevitable consequence, unavoidably, as in the New Testament: “Of necessity he must release one unto them at the Feast” (Luke 23:17). [Late 1300s]

Idioms and Phrases with of necessity (2 of 2)

necessity

In addition to the idiom beginning with necessity

  • necessity is the mother of invention

also see:

  • make a virtue of necessity
  • of necessity
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.