unnecessary
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
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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"New Michigan Graduation Requirements Shortchange Many Students"
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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.
These unnecessary preventative measures aren’t just a nuisance for the consumer; they’re a hassle for the overworked, underpaid employee who spends their shift telling customers, “No, we don’t have more of that in the back.”
From Salon • May 22, 2026
The EPA said the haze program needs revisions to avoid placing unnecessary burdens on states.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Too much knowledge can also be harmful, leading to unnecessary tests and costs, and more anxiety than it’s worth.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
For every scene that feels false or unnecessary, there is one that works well; for every plot point that feels ticked off a checklist, something surprising pops up.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
An unnecessary remark, I suppose, as we both watched the peculiar insect struggling in his hands.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
