indispensable

adjective

ˌin-di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce indispensable (audio)
Definition of indispensablenext
as in essential
impossible to do without fully aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 indispensable With the exception of Club name Nvidia and perhaps Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), these companies — Seagate, Western Digital, Micron, and SanDisk — are perhaps the most indispensable of the entire buildout. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026 China is also positioning itself as an indispensable player in setting global standards for open-source hardware. — Christopher K. Tong, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 Humans will continue to be indispensable for interpretation, context and evaluation—to decide what is interesting and why. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026 That creates an opportunity for companies offering open models to potentially become indispensable to businesses by offering technological blueprints for their products. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for indispensable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indispensable
  1. essential
  2. necessary
  3. integral
  4. required
  5. needed
  6. needful
  7. vital
Adjective
  • Koeckeritz argued that a paved parking lot is an essential accessory to its main function — worship — not the principal use of the property across the street from the towering cathedral.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Which essential services, such as banks and postal delivery, will be closed?
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of essential
Adjective
  • Addressing workers at the company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume warned Tuesday that eliminating tens of thousands of jobs could be necessary to remain competitive.
    — Maegan Vazquez, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The equipment in the classroom is also outdated and no longer reaches performance capabilities necessary for modern digital art, web design and 2D and 3D imaging, officials said.
    — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of necessary
Adjective
  • Her weight and notable appetite are integral to the musical number.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The arrival of the transistor began the era of electronics that has become an integral part of our daily lives.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of integral
Adjective
  • Your school will apply the funds toward required costs like tuition and fees before sending any remaining amount to you.
    — Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The economics behind that shift are already influencing how some large companies deploy AI, with businesses becoming increasingly selective in matching individual tasks to models based on cost and required performance.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • Senior Trey Cooley, who transferred from Troy, and senior Jayden Limar, who ran for 262 yards last season at Oregon, provide needed depth.
    — Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The development comes a week after the city started the process of relocating residents to allow for the new owner to make needed repairs.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of needed
Adjective
  • Her voice is slurred, needful, abject.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
  • That image of God never has a problem, never has a disease, never lacks anything needful or truly desirable, and has never sinned.
    — Douglas Sytsma, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
Definition of needful
Adjective
  • Jäger compares the sounds of techno to the noise of Detroit’s industrial machinery—the music that drove the ersatz utopias of the late twentieth century is, in other words, merely a synthetic echo of a far more vital past.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Fertilizer can give a lawn a boost, but knowing when to fertilize your lawn is vital for your grass to gain the full benefit of those vital nutrients.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of vital

Browse Nearby Words

indiscriminating
indispensable
indisposed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indispensable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indispensable. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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