necessarily

adverb

nec·​es·​sar·​i·​ly ˌne-sə-ˈser-ə-lē How to pronounce necessarily (audio)
Synonyms of necessarilynext
1
: of necessity : unavoidably
The audience was necessarily small.
This endeavor necessarily involves some risk.
2
: as a logical result or consequence
… a holocaust is a disaster, but a disaster is not necessarily a holocaust.—Harry Shaw

Synonyms of necessarily

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Examples of necessarily in a Sentence

the argument that the existence of the universe necessarily implies the existence of an all-powerful being responsible for creating it
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The six new machines are currently at different stages of commercialization, meaning not all of the equipment has necessarily entered large-scale use in semiconductor factories. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026 Professional-looking food advertising no longer necessarily requires professional food photography. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026 The return of Gustavo Hamer feels like a sentimental move rather than necessarily a sensible football decision and Loum Tchaouna has changed clubs for the fifth summer in a row, and didn’t particularly convince for Burnley last season. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Our driving-city culture necessarily muddles or fuses the definitions of restaurant and bar. — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for necessarily

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of necessarily was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing necessarily

Rhymes for necessarily

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Browse Nearby Words

necessarianism
necessarily
necessariness
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Cite this Entry

“Necessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/necessarily. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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