How to Use unnecessary in a Sentence

unnecessary

adjective
  • In this city, owning a car is unnecessary.
  • Let's not take any unnecessary risks.
  • But these site data get bulky and unnecessary as time goes on.
    — Toby Grey, BGR, 6 Sep. 2022
  • But the news is adding unnecessary stress to trips to the grocery store.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
  • On the flip side, a three-hour layover might be unnecessary and can waste time.
    — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Cut off the unnecessary branches — and clean up the tree.
    — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The whole thing just seems … unnecessary.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • Gunther said, for him, all of that was unnecessary.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
  • But their efforts are not enough to save this unnecessary sequel that smacks of a cash grab.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Don’t make unnecessary cuts during the tree’s first year.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
  • The result is a design with clear, bold lines and no unnecessary frills.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Leonard explains those details in a voiceover that at first seems unnecessary to the film.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2022
  • What once had to be managed can now be dismissed as unnecessary.
    — Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
  • There was a silent boom; in the thrill of the snake, everything unnecessary fell away.
    — Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
  • But yeah, that tilts the ice for sure and just gives them unnecessary momentum.
    — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026
  • When shown how to open the puzzles, children copied all the steps, even unnecessary ones.
    — Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The finished structure is so strong that steel roll bars are unnecessary.
    — Ray Hutton, Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2023
  • Pre-washed rice has already been rinsed, so washing it again is unnecessary.
    — Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
  • Clean out trash piles and unnecessary yard clutter.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
  • Call in favors and stick to basics to avoid unnecessary costs.
    — Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 31 May 2024
  • Find a quiet place, keep your workspace tidy and remove unnecessary items.
    — Daniel Wendt, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
  • In many industries, more than half of truck rolls are unnecessary.
    — Alex Hawkinson, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
  • These blackout curtains can help block out unnecessary light and make your space look more dressed up at the same time.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026
  • That oversight breaks state law and leaves patients with unnecessary costs.
    — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Even with 18 tools, nothing seemed unnecessary or out of place.
    — Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023
  • He’s been advised to avoid unnecessary risk.
    — Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The record debt sales might seem unnecessary because banks are already up to their eyeballs in cash.
    — Ben Eisen, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2021
  • Experts say adding a pinch of salt to water is unnecessary for most people.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2026
  • In the end, our team wound up a player short, so my sacrifice proved unnecessary.
    — Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
  • So that's unnecessary traffic that comes through.
    — Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unnecessary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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