HOW TO PRONOUNCE
necessary
/ˈnɛsəˌsɛɹi/
Press play to hear how to pronounce necessary.
American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
Watch on YouTube ↗
Watch on YouTube ↗
LISTEN FOR THIS
The c and both s letters have s sounds.
In NESS-uh-sair-ee, the first syllable carries the main stress and SAIR has a smaller beat. Keep the second vowel relaxed rather than stressing each written e.
4 syllables · Stress on syllable 1
TRY SAYING
“Bring only what is necessary.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗What does necessary mean?
adjective
- Required, essential, whether logically inescapable or needed in order to achieve a desired result or avoid some penalty.
- Unavoidable, inevitable.
proper noun
- A surname.
More meanings (3)
adjective
- (obsolete) Determined, involuntary: acting from compulsion rather than free will.
noun
- (archaic) A place to do the "necessary" business of urination and defecation: an outhouse or lavatory.
- (obsolete) Necessity.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈnɛsəˌsɛɹi/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
It is often, by the impracticability of obtaining the concurrence of the necessary number of votes, kept in a state of inaction.
Desgas went to the door, and apparently gave the necessary orders, for presently a soldier entered, carrying Chauvelin’s coat, boots, and hat.
More book examples (3)
When it was necessary to move from one spot to another she either jerked her roughly, or pushed her headlong before her.
It will be necessary, therefore, to wait for the moment when her passage in perigee shall coincide with that in the zenith.
The Party taking such tariff action shall apply the action only for the minimum period necessary to achieve such substantially equivalent effects.