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Unnecessary vs Inessential - What's the difference?

unnecessary | inessential |

Inessential is a antonym of unnecessary.



As adjectives the difference between unnecessary and inessential

is that unnecessary is not needed or necessary while inessential is not essential.

As a noun inessential 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

    inessential

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • not essential
    • Leave inessential items behind when there is a fire alarm.
  • lacking essence or being

    • Synonyms

    * nonessential * unessential

    Antonyms

    * essential

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (often in plural) Something that is not essential