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Definition of indispensable adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

indispensable

adjective
 
/ˌɪndɪˈspensəbl/
 
/ˌɪndɪˈspensəbl/
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  1. too important to be without synonym essential
    • Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives.
    • indispensable to somebody/something She made herself indispensable to the department.
    • indispensable for something/for doing something A good dictionary is indispensable for learning a foreign language.
    opposite dispensable
    Synonyms essentialessentialvital ▪ crucial ▪ critical ▪ decisive ▪ indispensableThese words all describe somebody/​something that is extremely important and completely necessary because a particular situation or activity depends on them.essential extremely important and completely necessary, because without it something cannot exist, be made or be successful:
    • Experience is essential for this job.
    vital essential:
    • The police play a vital role in our society.
     essential or vital?These words have the same meaning but there can be a slight difference in tone. Essential is used to state a fact or opinion with authority. Vital is often used when there is some worry felt about something, or a need to persuade somebody that a fact or opinion is true, right or important. Vital is less often used in negative statements: It was vital to show that he was not afraid. • Money is not vital to happiness. crucial extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it:
    • It is crucial that we get this right.
    critical extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it:
    • Your decision is critical to our future.
     crucial or critical?These words have the same meaning but there can be a slight difference in context. Critical is often used in technical matters of business or science; crucial is often used to talk about matters that may cause worry or other emotions.decisive of the greatest importance in affecting the final result of a particular situation:
    • She has played a decisive role in the peace negotiations.
    indispensable essential; too important to be without:
    • Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives.
    Patterns
    • essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical/​decisive/​indispensable for something
    • essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical/​indispensable to something
    • essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical that…
    • essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical to do something
    • a(n) essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical/​decisive/​indispensable part/​factor
    • of vital/​crucial/​critical/​decisive importance
    • absolutely essential/​vital/​crucial/​critical/​decisive/​indispensable
    Language Bank vitalvitalSaying that something is necessary
      • It is vital that journalists can verify the accuracy of their reports.
      • Journalists play a vital role in educating the public.
      • Public trust is a crucial issue for all news organizations.
      • The ability to write well is essential for any journalist.
      • The internet has become an indispensable tool for reporters.
      • In journalism, accuracy is paramount.
      • Checking and verifying facts are of paramount importance for any journalist.
      • It is imperative that journalists maintain the highest possible standards of reporting.
    Extra Examples
    • These drugs are almost indispensable in the fight against the disease.
    • Rare earths are absolutely indispensable for renewable energies and hydrogen production.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • prove
    • become
    • …
    adverb
    • absolutely
    preposition
    • for
    • in
    • to
    • …
    See full entry
    Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘not to be allowed or provided for by ecclesiastical dispensation’): from medieval Latin indispensabilis, from in- ‘not’ + dispensabilis (from Latin dispensare ‘continue to weigh out or disburse’, from the verb dispendere, based on pendere ‘weigh’).
See indispensable in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee indispensable in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: indispensable

Nearby words

perspective
noun
 
 
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