- [uncountable] the fact that something must happen or be done; the need for something
- necessity for something We recognize the necessity for a written agreement.
- necessity of (doing) something We were discussing the necessity of employing more staff.
- necessity (for somebody) to do something There had never been any necessity for her to go out to work.
- There is absolutely no necessity for you to be involved.
- of necessity This is, of necessity, a brief and incomplete account.
- out of necessity He is changing job out of necessity, not because he particularly wants to.
- These animals don't like water but will swim if the necessity arises.
Extra ExamplesTopics Permission and obligationb2- Culling of the animals was born out of the necessity for successful conservation.
- Driven by financial necessity, she decided to give up her writing career.
- I've never felt the necessity to rely on such a strict rule.
- Most disputes can be resolved without the necessity of going to court.
- Most of the women are forced, through economic necessity, to work in part-time low-paid jobs.
- Mrs R has been spared the necessity of having to give evidence.
- Necessity forced an urgent solution.
- Observers stressed the necessity for the ceasefire to be observed.
- She saw the necessity to make an immediate impression on him.
- The company sees no necessity for a more cautious approach to investment.
- The visit will, of necessity, be brief.
- There's no necessity for you to come.
- They have accepted the necessity of greater state intervention.
- This rule is carried no farther than necessity requires.
- Where necessity demands, we can seat more guests in the gallery.
- You can dial direct without the necessity of going through the operator.
- the necessity to earn a living
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- fundamental
- sheer
- …
- become
- recognize
- see
- …
- arise
- dictate (something)
- require (something)
- …
- of necessity
- out of necessity
- through necessity
- …
- any necessity
- no necessity
- [countable] a thing that you must have and cannot manage without
- Many people cannot even afford basic necessities such as food and clothing.
- Air-conditioning is an absolute necessity in this climate.
Extra Examples- They have nothing but the barest necessities.
- The people in the rural areas use mud bricks only as an immediate, practical necessity.
- Sleep is an absolute necessity for life.
- Food is a necessity of life.
- He argued that nuclear weapons were a political necessity.
- Policies which address these issues are an urgent necessity.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- vital
- real
- …
- have
- lack
- a necessity of life
- [countable, usually singular] a situation that must happen and that cannot be avoided
- Living in London, he felt, was an unfortunate necessity.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- fundamental
- sheer
- …
- become
- recognize
- see
- …
- arise
- dictate (something)
- require (something)
- …
- of necessity
- out of necessity
- through necessity
- …
- any necessity
- no necessity
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French necessite, from Latin necessitas, from necesse ‘be needful’.
Idioms
See necessity in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee necessity in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishmake a virtue of necessity
- to manage to gain an advantage from something that you have to do and cannot avoid
- She decided to make a virtue of necessity and combined a business trip to Paris with a visit to her cousins there.
necessity is the mother of invention
- (saying) a difficult new problem forces people to think of a solution to it
Check pronunciation:
necessity