What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Undue vs Unnecessary - What's the difference?

undue | unnecessary |

As adjectives the difference between undue and unnecessary

is that undue is excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient while unnecessary is not needed or necessary.

undue

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Excessive; going beyond that what is natural or sufficient.
    • To individuals who despise killings in any form, death penalty is undue punishment.
  • That which ought not to be done; illegal; unjustified.
  • (of a payment etc) Not owing or payable.

    • Derived terms

    * undueful * undue influence * undueness * unduly

    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