NECESSITY Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

necessity

noun

ni-ˈse-sə-tē

Definition of necessity

as in requirement

something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable on any road trip, accurate maps are a necessity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in poverty

the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions two years of unemployment had reduced the family to abject necessity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of necessity For military stationed outside their home states or outside the country, mail-in voting is a necessity. — Jamie Rowen, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 The lawsuit comes as consumers report struggling to afford basic necessities. — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 The fundraiser said Patricia’s father and brothers remained by her side throughout her hospitalization, sleeping in their car in Sacramento to stay close to her while seeking help with gas, food and other basic necessities. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 The structural design curtails the necessity for active safety mechanisms, electronic trip switches, or manual operator control interventions during an operational deviation. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for necessity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for necessity

Noun

With low maintenance requirements and fast turnaround, Gripen provides an advanced and cost-effective fighter capability that is easy to operate and maintain, according to the company.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
DAFs carry no legal payout requirement — the dollars are irrevocably committed to charity, but on no particular schedule.

— Gabriel Alin Zainescu, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of requirement

Noun

Or that Franciscan fathers — members of an order dedicated to lives of poverty and humility — forced tribes to give up their foods, customs and religion in the name of Christ, rewarding them with serfdom.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
In recent years, Lampedusa has become Ground Zero of Europe’s migration debate as the continent struggles to police its borders while honoring its legal obligations to welcome refugees fleeing conflict, climate change and poverty.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Definition of poverty

Noun

The Charlotte region will start feeling like a frying pan come Wednesday, and forecasters expect the sticky misery to linger into next week.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026
But the misery of the heat would add to the story told over natural wine at a bar back home.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

Definition of misery

Browse Nearby Words

necessitous

necessity

neck

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Necessity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necessity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of necessity

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on necessity

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes