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Extraneous vs Unnecessary - What's the difference?

extraneous | unnecessary |

Unnecessary is a synonym of extraneous.



As adjectives the difference between extraneous and unnecessary

is that extraneous is not belonging to, or dependent upon, a thing; without or beyond a thing; foreign while unnecessary is not needed or necessary.

extraneous

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Not belonging to, or dependent upon, a thing; without or beyond a thing; foreign
    • to separate gold from extraneous matter
    Extraneous substances were found on my cup of water.
  • Not essential or intrinsic

    • Synonyms

    * (not belonging to) additional, alien, foreign, intrusive * (not essential) superfluous, extra

    Derived terms

    * extraneously * extraneousness

    unnecessary

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Not needed or necessary.
    • The automatic child-frightener made clowns unnecessary .
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 14 , author=Steven Morris , title=Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=Robins, of Torquay, had denied a single charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. She claimed the microwave was accidentally turned on by one of the cats after the kitten got inside. But Knutton said the kitten was too small to even get onto the work surface.}}
  • Done in addition to requirements; unrequired.

    • Antonyms

    * (not needed) necessary, needed * (in addition to requirements) required, mandatory

    Synonyms

    * (not needed) superfluous, unneeded, needless, innecessary * (in addition to requirements) additional, innecessary

    Derived terms

    * unnecessarily * unnecessariness