The Opposite(Antonym) of “necessary”
The antonyms of necessary are unnecessary, optional, and nonessential. These words describe things that are not required or essential.
Explore all Antonyms of “necessary”
Definitions and Examples of unnecessary, optional, nonessential
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Not needed; not essential.
Example
Buying a new phone every year is unnecessary if your current phone works perfectly fine.
Available to be chosen but not required.
Example
The dress code for the party is optional, so wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
Not absolutely necessary.
Example
The company decided to cut down on nonessential expenses to save money.
Key Differences: unnecessary vs optional vs nonessential
- 1Unnecessary implies that something is not needed or required, while optional suggests that something is available to be chosen but not required.
- 2Optional is a complementary antonym, meaning it is the opposite of a word that describes something that is mandatory or required.
- 3Nonessential is a relational antonym, meaning it is the opposite of a word that describes something that is essential or necessary.
Effective Usage of unnecessary, optional, nonessential
- 1Writing: Use these antonyms to express the degree of importance of something.
- 2Speaking: Incorporate these antonyms in conversations to clarify the level of necessity.
- 3Reading: Look out for these antonyms in texts to understand the writer's perspective on the importance of something.
Remember this!
The antonyms of necessary are unnecessary, optional, and nonessential. Use these words to express the degree of importance of something, clarify the level of necessity in conversations, and understand the writer's perspective on the importance of something.
