unnecessary
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of unnecessary
Explanation
Anything that is extra or not needed is unnecessary. Wearing long underwear in July is an unnecessary precaution against being cold. If you don't need something, it's unnecessary. You take an unnecessary risk if you get in the car and don't bother to fasten your seatbelt. Driving your car when you could ride a bike instead is an unnecessary use of gasoline. If you keep dropping you pen in class, your teacher might say, "That's unnecessary." Walking your dog with two leashes is definitely unnecessary. That's obvious, but lots of times it's hard to tell what's necessary and what's unnecessary.
Vocabulary lists containing unnecessary
List 3
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List 9
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That idea seemed unnecessary after Edwin Hubble discovered in 1929 that the universe was expanding.
From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026
“This agreement protects patients from unnecessary treatment or getting overcharged, ensures access to medical care and legal representation, and strengthens safety measures.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
United States manager Mauricio Pochettino said he did not like the breaks during his side's 4-1 win against Paraguay, adding they were "unnecessary" when conditions were tolerable.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
"I feel like that's creating unnecessary fear," said Lucien, who created illustrations for FOX Sports Global Artist Series, a collaboration with FIFA.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
He had wasted precious reserves in unnecessary talk and encounters.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
