nonessential

Examples

• All

• Deletion of unnecessary parts simplifies the flow of control by eliminating nonessential operations.

  Academic text (1991)

• "For someone who says she wants to cut out everything nonessential, you're very inconsistent," I said.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Shut down all nonessential systems.

  Solar Crisis (1992)

• The governor has asked all nonessential personnel to stay clear of the area.

  Vice (2015)

• The security officials ordered a general evacuation... of all nonessential personnel.

  Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)

• In late 2008, a plummeting economy caused the public to cut back on nonessential purchases, including books.

  Academic text (2009)

• ERIC BRYCE: Start packing up all your nonessential equipment.

  The Black Hole (2006)

• Often, I find that the revision has helped pare away the nonessential and prepare a place for what in the first draft was really final.

  Academic text (2009)

• Attempts to rationalize production, such as closing nonessential plants, were frustrated by local party bureaucrats.

  Academic text (1990)

• The governor has asked all nonessential personnel to stay clear of the area.

Synonyms

U

unnecessary

vsnonessential

300 1.6

More than is needed or wanted

is milder, meaning not absolutely vital rather than fully needless

T

trivial

vsnonessential

121 3.9

Not important or serious

is stronger, saying something lacks necessary role rather than mere smallness

U

unimportant

vsnonessential

54 1.9

Not worth attention or notice

is narrower, focusing on lack of necessity rather than general low value

N

negligible

vsnonessential

31 5.6

Very small or unimportant and not worth worrying about

is about lacking central necessity, not only small size or effect

I

inconsequential

vsnonessential

29 7.7

Not important and not likely to make a difference

is about not being absolutely needed rather than only lacking consequence

S

superfluous

vsnonessential

22 7.0

More than what is needed or useful

focuses on lacking central importance rather than being merely excessive

I

immaterial

vsnonessential

19 7.2

Not important or relevant to a situation

is about not being needed for core function rather than mere irrelevance

E

extraneous

vsnonessential

17 7.5

Not related or needed and coming from outside

is about lack of central necessity rather than originating outside a system

U

unneeded

vsnonessential

7 2.3

Not necessary or useful in a situation

is softer, saying something lacks vital necessity rather than being useless

N

noncritical

vsnonessential

1 4.1

Not serious or urgent and not part of a dangerous situation

is about lacking central importance rather than only low urgency

U

unessential

vsnonessential

1 5.0

Not needed for the main purpose

is the common alternative wording for the same lack of need

N

nonfundamental

vsnonessential

6.6

Not necessary for the main part of a plan, idea, or system

is about not being absolutely required for the whole or core

I

inconsequent

vsnonessential

9.1

Not important or serious compared with other things

is broader, meaning not central to a matter rather than merely trivial

N

nonsubstantial

vsnonessential

7.0

Not solid, strong, or important

is about not being vital to a whole rather than lacking solidity

N

nonpertinent

vsnonessential

6.9

Not related to what is being discussed

is wider, referring to lack of core necessity rather than only irrelevance

Antonyms

E

essential

50 2.4

Things you need for a purpose, like food or water

How Necessary

vital

403 3.5

essential

50 2.4

important

∞ 1.0

useful

947 1.0

nonessential

11 4.4

optional

99 3.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology