essential
1 of 2adjective
es·sen·tial i-ˈsen(t)-shəl 
1
: of, relating to, or constituting essence : inherent
2
a
: of the utmost importance : basic, indispensable, necessary
an essential requirement for admission to college
b
: being a substance that is not synthesized by the body in a quantity sufficient for normal health and growth and that must be obtained from the diet
a vegetable oil rich in essential fatty acids
see also essential amino acid compare nonessential sense 2 3
: idiopathic
essential disease
essential hypertension
essentialness
i-ˈsen(t)-shəl-nəs
noun essential
2 of 2noun
1
: something basic
the essentials of astronomy
2
: something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable
Synonyms
Adjective
- all-important
- critical
- imperative
- indispensable
- integral
- must-have
- necessary
- necessitous
- needed
- needful
- required
- requisite
- vital
Noun
- condition
- demand
- must
- must-have
- necessary
- necessity
- need
- needful
- requirement
- requisite
- sine qua non
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective As a fighter pilot, he knows that good vision is essential. Free speech is an essential right of citizenship. The essential problem with this plan is that it will cost too much. There's no essential difference between the two products. Noun the essentials for success include a willingness to work and the right attitude this will be just an introduction to the essentials of computer programming See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Aaron Tilley, WSJ, 18 Sep. 2022 For more than two decades now, Putin’s expanding grip on power has been predicated on his portrayed strength and justified as essential to Russia’s existence. Matthew Bodner, NBC News, 18 Sep. 2022 Beginning in the 1840s, the city was such an essential gateway between Eastern factories and Western raw materials and markets that every railroad built a connection to Chicago. John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2022 With this in mind, the food staff’s Bill Addison, Lucas Kwan Peterson, Stephanie Breijo, Jenn Harris and columnist Gustavo Arellano put together a guide to Los Angeles’ 38 essential classic Mexican restaurants. Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022 Locals packed their most essential belongings quickly and evacuated in a rush with volunteers this week, evoking images of the first days of the war. Kamila Hrabchuk, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022 The vitamin is a key player in several essential body processes, like protein metabolism, collagen synthesis and neurotransmitter production. Good Housekeeping, 16 Sep. 2022 Both countries are typically major exporters of essential goods like wheat and sunflower oil. Michelle Toh And Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 16 Sep. 2022 This purse-friendly essential comes in four shades for easy color matching, can be applied over makeup or on bare skin, and mattifies the complexion on contact. Jennifer Chan, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2022 Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Packs of instant noodles are an enduring essential for all campers. Matt Pawlik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Lucy Harris extended a tile wall all the way across the bathroom to for a consistent feel, an essential in a small bathroom. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 4 Aug. 2022 Organizations thriving with a meaningful purpose and aligning to grow with good is no longer a dream but an essential for business success. Rachel Ooi, Forbes, 25 July 2022 At-home Covid tests have become a first-aid kit essential. Wired, 7 July 2022 So to me, that's my essential to really smooth out my face and the texture. Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2022 Depending on your preference, this essential is seamlessly applied with a brush, sponge, or your fingers (just note that a little goes a long way). Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 June 2022 The closet essential is made from soft Pima cotton that drapes beautifully and comes in sizes up to 3XL. Lindsey Greenfeld, PEOPLE.com, 18 Apr. 2022 See More
Adjective
Adobe products such as Photoshop and Illustrator are almost essential tools for people who design marketing materials and magazines. Aaron Tilley, WSJ, 18 Sep. 2022 For more than two decades now, Putin’s expanding grip on power has been predicated on his portrayed strength and justified as essential to Russia’s existence. Matthew Bodner, NBC News, 18 Sep. 2022 Beginning in the 1840s, the city was such an essential gateway between Eastern factories and Western raw materials and markets that every railroad built a connection to Chicago. John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2022 With this in mind, the food staff’s Bill Addison, Lucas Kwan Peterson, Stephanie Breijo, Jenn Harris and columnist Gustavo Arellano put together a guide to Los Angeles’ 38 essential classic Mexican restaurants. Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022 Locals packed their most essential belongings quickly and evacuated in a rush with volunteers this week, evoking images of the first days of the war. Kamila Hrabchuk, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022 The vitamin is a key player in several essential body processes, like protein metabolism, collagen synthesis and neurotransmitter production. Good Housekeeping, 16 Sep. 2022 Both countries are typically major exporters of essential goods like wheat and sunflower oil. Michelle Toh And Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 16 Sep. 2022 This purse-friendly essential comes in four shades for easy color matching, can be applied over makeup or on bare skin, and mattifies the complexion on contact. Jennifer Chan, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2022 Noun
This recipe is an essential for your summer cooking repertoire. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Packs of instant noodles are an enduring essential for all campers. Matt Pawlik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Lucy Harris extended a tile wall all the way across the bathroom to for a consistent feel, an essential in a small bathroom. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 4 Aug. 2022 Organizations thriving with a meaningful purpose and aligning to grow with good is no longer a dream but an essential for business success. Rachel Ooi, Forbes, 25 July 2022 At-home Covid tests have become a first-aid kit essential. Wired, 7 July 2022 So to me, that's my essential to really smooth out my face and the texture. Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2022 Depending on your preference, this essential is seamlessly applied with a brush, sponge, or your fingers (just note that a little goes a long way). Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 June 2022 The closet essential is made from soft Pima cotton that drapes beautifully and comes in sizes up to 3XL. Lindsey Greenfeld, PEOPLE.com, 18 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing essential
Kids Definition
essential 1 of 2
adjective
es·sen·tial i-ˈsen-shəl
1
: extremely important or necessary
It is essential that we all meet here.
2
: forming or belonging to the basic part of something
Free speech is an essential right of citizenship.
essential
2 of 2noun
: something that is basic or necessary
I packed the bare essentials for the trip.
Medical Definition
essential
adjective
es·sen·tial i-ˈsen-chəl
1
: being, relating to, or containing an essence
an essential odor
2
: being a substance that is not synthesized by the body in a quantity sufficient for normal health and growth and that must be obtained from the diet
The body converts linoleic acid—an essential fatty acid that makes up 60 percent of corn oil—into arachidonic acid. Janet Raloff, Science News
see essential amino acid compare nonessential Janet Raloff, Science News3
: having no obvious or known cause : idiopathic
essential disease
essential 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in necessary
impossible to do without a well-stocked public library is essential for the well-being of a community Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- necessary
- required
- needed
- integral
- vital
- needful
- critical
- imperative
- crucial
- indispensable
- important
- requisite
- all-important
- must-have
- prerequisite
- basic
- key
- mandatory
- compulsory
- fundamental
- major
- necessitous
- of the essence
- meaningful
- central
- obligatory
- urgent
- momentous
- organic
- substantial
- significant
- material
- consequential
- pressing
- persistent
- insistent
- nonelective
- weighty
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unnecessary
- nonessential
- dispensable
- needless
- unimportant
- inessential
- unessential
- unwanted
- extra
- insignificant
- superfluous
- undesired
- unneeded
- external
- excess
- inconsequential
- extraneous
- surplus
2
as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject anyone with an essential knowledge of human biology can follow the documentary Synonyms & Similar Words
- basic
- rudimentary
- fundamental
- elementary
- introductory
- underlying
- elemental
- beginning
- basal
- rudimental
- simple
- crucial
- important
- preliminary
- primary
- key
- abecedarian
- prime
- meat-and-potatoes
- primal
- uncomplicated
- primordial
- preparatory
- primitive
- primeval
- crude
- rude
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- complex
- advanced
- sophisticated
- extensive
- complicated
- detailed
- intricate
- higher
- elaborate
- high
- evolved
- refined
- developed
- convoluted
3
as in integral
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing an unquenchable belief in the essential goodness of most people Synonyms & Similar Words
- integral
- inherent
- intrinsic
- fundamental
- constitutional
- natural
- basic
- innate
- indigenous
- constitutive
- hereditary
- inner
- immanent
- distinctive
- inherited
- native
- ingrained
- elemental
- characteristic
- hardwired
- inborn
- inbred
- internal
- built-in
- ingrain
- congenital
- engrained
- peculiar
- interior
- in one's blood
- inmost
- typical
- normal
- deep-rooted
- regular
- habitual
- inveterate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- extraneous
- extrinsic
- foreign
- incidental
- adventitious
- alien
- accidental
- external
- surface
- superficial
- coincidental
- exterior
- acquired
- adscititious
essential
2 of 2noun
1
as in requirement
something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable the essentials for success include a willingness to work and the right attitude Synonyms & Similar Words
- requirement
- must
- necessity
- necessary
- needful
- requisite
- need
- must-have
- prerequisite
- demand
- condition
- precondition
- sine qua non
- advantage
- plus
- desideratum
- wish
- desideration
- edge
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonessential
- extra
- luxury
- surplus
- comfort
- indulgence
- nonnecessity
- amenity
- extravagance
- frill
- surplusage
- superfluity
2
as in principles
essentials plural general or basic truths on which other truths or theories can be based this will be just an introduction to the essentials of computer programming Synonyms & Similar Words
- principles
- elements
- basics
- fundamentals
- philosophy
- grammar
- rudiments
- foundation
- law
- basis
- underpinning
- alphabet
- rule
- keystone
- cornerstone
- doctrine
- ABC(s)
- bedrock
- groundwork
- tenet
- belief
- axiom
- nitty-gritty
- standard
- precept
- dogma
- theorem
- faith
- canon
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- details
- trivia
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of essential are cardinal, fundamental, and vital. While all these words mean "so important as to be indispensable," essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.
conflict is essential in drama
While in some cases nearly identical to essential, cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.
a cardinal rule in buying a home
While the synonyms fundamental and essential are close in meaning, fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.
fundamental principles of algebra
The words vital and essential are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.
cut off from vital supplies