Words / B2

n-uh-SES-uh-tee/nəˈsesəti/

Necessity is need, or something you must have: of necessity, a necessity, there is no necessity to. Need is everyday; essential is a close adjective; luxury is the opposite idea. Necessities (plural) are basic things (food, shelter). In speech, you have to / you need to is enough. Do not write “a necessity of doing” — say the necessity of + -ing / no necessity to + verb — and do not confuse it with necessarily (adverb).

Meaning

The need for something; also something you must have.

Examples

• “There is no necessity to repeat the test if the first result is clear.”
• “Warm housing is a necessity in this climate, not a lifestyle extra.”
• “There is no necessity to repeat the blood test if the first result is clear.”

Good to know

a necessity; the necessity of + -ing; no necessity to + verb. Everyday: need. Opposite idea: luxury. Adverb cousin: necessarily.

Near in meaning

need

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