sine qua non

noun

ˌsi-ni-ˌkwä-ˈnän How to pronounce sine qua non (audio)
Definition of sine qua nonnext
as in must
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable an extensive grounding in mathematics is a sine qua non for a career in architecture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 sine qua non Many other analysts on Wall Street see the reusability of Starship as the sine qua non of the company’s long-term profitability. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 1 July 2026 For those in Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, direct experience in the liberation war is a sine qua non for any successor candidate. — Philip Martin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2017 According to Taylor, the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a sine qua non. — David Doty, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 While not denying the parallels between Muggle and magical technologies, Oakes’s conclusions depend on ignoring magical people’s complete dependence on a wand—the indisputable sine qua non of reliable spellwork. — Literary Hub, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sine qua non
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sine qua non
  1. must
  2. requirement
  3. necessity
Noun
  • Shrimp and mussels are a must for her seafood paella, though the queen of home cooking has also used lobster in the past.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • While breakfast and lunch are first-come, first-serve, for dinner a reservation is a must.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of must
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
  • 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
  • These are films born out of creative necessity and a truly independent spirit.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 July 2026
Definition of necessity

Browse Nearby Words

sincerity
sine qua non
sine qua nons
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sine qua non.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sine%20qua%20non. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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 (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

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
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All