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Unnecessary vs Nonessential - What's the difference?

unnecessary | nonessential |

As adjectives the difference between unnecessary and nonessential

is that unnecessary is not needed or necessary while nonessential is not required; not essential.

As a noun nonessential is

something that is not essential.

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

    nonessential

    English

    Alternative forms

    * non-essential

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Not required; not essential.

    • Antonyms

    * essential * required * necessary * mandatory

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something that is not essential.