What is another word for essential?

Synonyms for essential
əˈsɛn ʃəles·sen·tial

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word essential.

English Synonyms and Antonyms2.0 / 2 votes

  1. essential

    Inherent signifies permanently united as an element or original quality, naturally existent or incorporated in something so as to have become an integral part. Immanent is a philosophic word, to denote that which dwells in or pervades any substance or spirit without necessarily being a part of it, and without reference to any working out (compare SUBJECTIVE). That which is inherent is an inseparable part of that in which it inheres, and is usually thought of with reference to some outworking or effect; as, an inherent difficulty. God is said to be immanent (not inherent) in the universe. Frequently intrinsic and inherent can be interchanged, but inherent applies to qualities, while intrinsic applies to essence, so that to speak of intrinsic excellence conveys higher praise than if we say inherent excellence. Inherent and intrinsic may be said of persons or things; congenital, inborn, inbred, innate, apply to living beings. Congenital is frequent in medical and legal use with special application to defects; as, congenital idiocy. Innate and inborn are almost identical, but innate is preferred in philosophic use, as when we speak of innate ideas; that which is inborn, congenital, or innate may be original with the individual, but that which is inbred is inherited. Ingrained signifies dyed in the grain, and denotes that which is deeply wrought into substance or character.

    Synonyms:
    congenital, immanent, inborn, inbred, indispensable, indwelling, infixed, ingrained, inherent, inhering, innate, inseparable, internal, intrinsic, inwrought, native, natural, subjective

    Antonyms:
    accidental, casual, external, extrinsic, fortuitous, incidental, outward, subsidiary, superadded, superficial, superfluous, superimposed, supplemental, transient, unconnected

Princeton's WordNet3.0 / 4 votes

  1. necessity, essential, requirement, requisite, necessaryadjective

    anything indispensable

    "food and shelter are necessities of life"; "the essentials of the good life"; "allow farmers to buy their requirements under favorable conditions"; "a place where the requisites of water fuel and fodder can be obtained"

    Synonyms:
    demand, requirement, requisite, necessary, necessity, prerequisite

    Antonyms:
    inessential, nonessential, unneeded, unimportant, incidental, adscititious, unnecessary, unessential, accessorial

  2. essential, indispensableadjective

    absolutely necessary; vitally necessary

    "essential tools and materials"; "funds essential to the completion of the project"; "an indispensable worker"

    Synonyms:
    all important(p), indispensable, of the essence(p), crucial, substantive, all-important(a)

    Antonyms:
    nonessential, inessential, unneeded, unessential, adscititious, unimportant, accessorial, unnecessary, incidental

  3. essentialadjective

    basic and fundamental

    "the essential feature"

    Synonyms:
    all important(p), indispensable, of the essence(p), crucial, substantive, all-important(a)

    Antonyms:
    nonessential, inessential, unimportant, unnecessary, unessential, accessorial, adscititious, incidental, unneeded

  4. all-important(a), all important(p), crucial, essential, of the essence(p)adjective

    of the greatest importance

    "the all-important subject of disarmament"; "crucial information"; "in chess cool nerves are of the essence"

    Antonyms:
    nonessential, inessential, incidental, adscititious, accessorial, unneeded, unimportant, unessential, unnecessary

  5. essentialadjective

    being or relating to or containing the essence of a plant etc

    "essential oil"

    Synonyms:
    all important(p), indispensable, of the essence(p), crucial, substantive, all-important(a)

    Antonyms:
    inessential, nonessential, unneeded, incidental, unessential, unimportant, accessorial, unnecessary, adscititious

  6. substantive, essentialadjective

    defining rights and duties as opposed to giving the rules by which rights and duties are established

    "substantive law"

    Synonyms:
    substantial, all important(p), all-important(a), indispensable, substantive, meaty, crucial, of the essence(p)

    Antonyms:
    nonessential, inessential, adscititious, unessential, incidental, accessorial, unimportant, unnecessary, unneeded

Matched Categories

Editors Contribution0.0 / 0 votes

  1. gatekeeper

    essential because they are the ones with the heart chosen to stand

    to go or stand when no one else can

    Submitted by Rachellewatson60 on April 8, 2020  
  2. key partadverb

    Submitted by jndiwehfyusn on September 20, 2021  

Dictionary of English Synonymes0.0 / 0 votes

  1. essentialadjective

    Synonyms:
    vital, necessary, requisite, indispensable, highly important

  2. essentialadjective

    Synonyms:
    volatile, pure, highly rectified

  3. essentialadjective

    Synonyms:
    (Med.) idiopathic, not symptomatic

  4. essentialnoun

    Synonyms:
    nature, first principle

  5. essentialnoun

    Synonyms:
    chief point, most important part

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. essentialadjective

    Synonyms:
    indispensable, necessary, requisite

    Antonyms:
    nonessential, superfluous

Suggested Resources

  1. Essential

    Essence vs Essential -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Essence and Essential.

How to pronounce essential?

How to say essential in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#373main
#485required
#569key
#573important
#638major
#686central
#759natural
#945basic
#1059needed
#1105necessary
#1243primary
#1406significant
#1465leading
#1573internal
#1617core
#1783critical
#1829demand
#2131essential
#2290native
#3277requirement
#3977bulk
#4428fundamental
#4434substantial
#4760vital
#5223induced
#6242crucial
#6779integral
#6806imported
#7805essence
#8128quantitative
#8242instrumental
#8620prerequisite
#9308necessity
#9987subjective
#10683inherent
#11197qualitative
#11669paramount
#11733accidental
#12423redundant
#13969substantive
#14490intrinsic
#14966imperative
#16399requisite
#17954congenital
#18032decisive
#18563indispensable
#21478pivotal
#25535innate
#26448inbred
#35699superfluous
#40838inseparable
#45229meaty
#52940ingrained
#65503inborn
#71087indwelling
#86054immanent
#100132indispensible
#113054adventitious
#130432regulative
#286420promotive

How to use essential in a sentence?

  1. Pete Buttigieg:

    From the very moment that it opened, this bridge has stood as one of the most essential and recognizable in our country.

  2. Melisa Lai Becker:

    The best way to cope with it is to avoid a trigger, which is generally a change to cold weather, plus, getting yourself a really good pair of gloves is essential!

  3. Richard Hofstadter:

    A university's essential character is that of being a center of free inquiry and criticism-a thing not to be sacrificed for anything else.

  4. Pope Francis:

    It is essential that all citizens - Muslim, Jewish and Christian - both in the provision and practice of the law, enjoy the same rights and respect the same duties.

  5. Greg Abbott:

    It is essential that a judge consider halting the Syrian refugee process – at least on a temporary basis – to ensure refugees coming to the United States will be vetted in a way that does not compromise the safety of Americans and Texans.


Translations for essential

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • أساسيArabic
  • съществен, основен, необходим, важенBulgarian
  • essencialCatalan, Valencian
  • nezbytný, nevyhnutelný, nejpodstatnější, jádro, nezbytnost, esenciální, nepostradatelný, zásadní, podstata, esence, nejdůležitější, hlavníCzech
  • vigtigDanish
  • essenziell, notwendig, wesentlich, unentbehrlichGerman
  • στοιχειώδης, ουσιαστικός, ουσιώδηςGreek
  • esencaEsperanto
  • esencialSpanish
  • vajalik, olulineEstonian
  • tärkeä, olennainen, normaali, perusluonteinen, oleellinen, elintärkeä, välttämätön, tarpeellinenFinnish
  • essentiel, fondamental, indispensableFrench
  • deatamach, riatanachScottish Gaelic
  • pentingIndonesian
  • essenzialeItalian
  • חִיוּנִיHebrew
  • 肝要, 肝心, 不可欠Japanese
  • 본질적인Korean
  • essentialisLatin
  • essenzjaliMaltese
  • essensiellNorwegian
  • noodzakelijk, essentieel, belangrijk, onontbeerlijk, wezenlijk, echt, nodigDutch
  • essensiellNorwegian Nynorsk
  • viktigNorwegian
  • zasadniczy, niezbędny, podstawowyPolish
  • fundamental, essencialPortuguese
  • fundamental, esențială, importantă, esențial, de bază, important, necesarRomanian
  • базовый, фундаментальный, необходимый, существенный, важный, основнойRussian
  • bistven, nujenSlovene
  • essentiell, väsentligSwedish
  • அத்தியாவசியTamil
  • ముఖ్యమైనTelugu
  • สำคัญThai
  • істотнеUkrainian
  • יקערדיקYiddish
  • 必要Chinese

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Translation

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"essential." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/essential>.

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    Which of these is a synonym of sangfroid?
    A scurrilous
    B remonstrate
    C jaded
    D imperturbability

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