essential
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- vital, crucial, important, indispensable, necessary, needed, requisite
- fundamental, basic, cardinal, elementary, innate, intrinsic, main, principal
[noun]
Synonyms:
- prerequisite, basic, fundamental, must, necessity, rudiment, sine qua non

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Antonyms: accidental, nonessential
Contrasted words: conditional, contingent, dependent, secondary, subordinate, accessory, auxiliary, contributory, subsidiary, dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unrequired, unwanted
Related Idioms: name of the game
Related Words: basal, basic, underlying, capital, chief, foremost, leading, main, principal, primal, primary, prime, needed, needful, required, requisite, wanted, right-hand, vital, essence, stuff, substance, must, necessary, prerequisite, sine qua non

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English Thesaurus: basic, fundamental, essential, central, vital, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. es‧sen‧tial¹ S3 W2 /ɪˈsenʃəl/ adjective
[Word Family: noun: essence, essentials ≠ inessentials; adverb: essentially; adjective: essential ≠ inessential]

1. extremely important and necessary
essential for/to
A good diet is essential for everyone.
it is essential (that)
It is essential that our pilots are given the best possible training.
it is essential to do something
It is essential to book in advance.
Window locks are fairly cheap and absolutely essential.
Even in small companies, computers are an essential tool.

2. the essential part, quality, or feature of something is the most basic one Synonym : fundamental:
The essential difference between Sam and me was the fact that I took life seriously.
The essential point of relay racing is that it is a team effort.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. essential² noun

1. [countable usually plural] something that is necessary to do something or in a particular situation Synonym : necessity:
She packed a few essentials.
We only had the bare essentials (=the most necessary things).

2. the essentials [plural] the basic and most important information or facts about a particular subject
the essentials of
We have no reason to doubt the essentials of the girl’s story.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

essential
adj.
VERBS appear, be, seem | become It is becoming almost essential for students to have a second language.
remain | make sth Increased competition makes it essential for the business to innovate.
consider sth, deem sth, regard sth as, see sth as, think sth Do you consider these textbooks essential for the course?
ADV. really | absolutely | almost, virtually | fairly | by no means Although useful, the accessories are by no means essential.
PREP. for the skills essential for success
to He believed that some form of religion was essential to human life.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

essential

essential information
You can get essential travel information from the website.
essential reading
The journal is essential reading for doctors.
essential services (=organizations such as the police or the fire or health service)
The law prohibits workers in essential services from striking.
absolutely/really essential
It is absolutely essential to keep this information secret.
be seen/regarded as essential
These measures are seen as essential for national security.
be considered/deemed essential
During the summer, air conditioning is considered essential.
play/perform an essential role in something
Antibiotics play an essential role in controlling infection.
the essential element
Hard work is the essential element of his success.
an essential ingredient
Most people believe that love is an essential ingredient in a marriage.
an essential difference
The essential difference between the two boats lies in the design of the hull.
the essential point
The essential point is that all children should have an equal opportunity to study.
an essential feature
A free press is an essential feature of a democracy.
an essential component
Controlling inflation is an essential component of the government’s economic strategy.
the essential nature of something
The essential nature of stem cells is that they are the source of all other cells in the body.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

basic the basic things or information are the ones that are the most necessary, or the ones that you need to know first:
Visit our website for some basic facts about healthy eating, exercise and weight control.
Water – indeed everything basic to life here must be brought in by truck.
people's basic needs
fundamental more important than anything else - used especially when you want to emphasize what you are saying:
The fundamental problem is a lack of resources.
one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity
These values are fundamental to our society.
essential used when talking about a particular thing or feature, which something must have in order to continue. Also used when talking about the main point, difference etc:
Freedom of the press is essential to our democracy.
Change and diversity are essential characteristics of the natural world.
The essential point is this: either we act now, or the whole future of our planet is uncertain.
One of the essential differences between humans and computers is that humans are more likely to make mistakes.
central very important and having a lot of influence or receiving a lot of attention:
Indonesia occupies a central role in this market.
Education is central to government policy.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

essential extremely important and necessary:
Water is essential for life.
The right to protest is an essential part of any democracy.
I missed out an essential ingredient.
They learn skills that are essential for success in later life.
vital extremely important and necessary. Vital sounds stronger than essential:
His evidence was vital to the defence case.
Nurses and police officers provide vital services.
It is vital that leaking gas pipes are fixed immediately.
crucial extremely important and making the difference between success and failure:
Advertising is crucial to successful bookselling.
The headteacher has played a crucial role in transforming this school.
indispensable if someone or something is indispensable, you cannot do something without them and they are extremely useful:
She soon made herself indispensable in the office.
Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives.
something is a must informal used when recommending something to someone and saying that they should definitely have it, do it, visit it etc:
Virus checkers are a must for computer users concerned with security.
If you’re in Austria, a visit to Salzburg is a must.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

important having a big effect on people’s lives or on events in the future:
an important decision
Good qualifications are increasingly important.
big important or serious:
It’s a big decision.
a big problem
significant important enough to be noticeable or have a big effect:
There is no significant difference between the performance of male and female students.
The Internet has brought about significant changes in people’s lives.
noteworthy formal important or interesting enough to deserve your attention:
The castle is the island’s most noteworthy feature.
The jury’s verdict was noteworthy for a number of reasons.
essential very important, especially for the success, health, or safety of someone or something:
It is essential to speak the local language.
essential supplies of food and clothing
vital/crucial extremely important, because without it there could be serious problems:
His evidence was vital to the case.
The US plays a crucial role in the region.
The media are a vital part of the political system.
key extremely important and having a big effect:
Wheeler had a key role in the development of the atom bomb.
Timing is key.
of great/considerable importance very important:
In the construction industry, health and safety are of considerable importance.
momentous very important because it has a very great effect on the future:
Momentous events were taking place in Russia.
a momentous decision
main/chief/principal [only before noun] most important:
What was your main aim?
the principal reason for their decision
the chief cause of the recession
major [usually before noun] one of the most important or serious things:
Smoking is a major cause of heart disease.
Street crime is a major problem.
central/primary [usually before noun] most important – used especially when talking about the main thing that people are discussing, worried about, or trying to do:
Education will be the central issue in the election.
Our primary concern is passenger safety.
paramount /ˈpærəmaʊnt/ formal more important than anything else, so that you must consider it when deciding what to do:
Airport security is of paramount importance.
The needs of the students are paramount.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

necessary used to describe something that you need to have or do:
Make sure you bring the necessary documents with you.
It may be necessary for you to have a small operation.
essential very important and necessary, especially in order to be healthy, successful etc:
Vitamins are essential for healthy growth.
The tourist industry is an essential part of the Spanish economy.
vital extremely important and necessary, especially in order to avoid serious problems:
A vital piece of equipment on the spacecraft had stopped operating.
It is vital that the aid is sent immediately.
compulsory if something is compulsory, you must do it because of a rule or law:
Maths and Science are compulsory subjects.
All new staff undergo a compulsory training course.
obligatory if something is obligatory, you must do it because of a rule or law. Obligatory is more formal than compulsory:
The use of seatbelts is obligatory.
Safety regulations have made it obligatory for all competitors to wear fist protectors.
mandatory if something is mandatory, you must do it because it is the law. Mandatory is more formal than compulsory and sounds stronger:
School attendance is mandatory.
a prisoner serving a mandatory life sentence
requisite /ˈrekwəzət, ˈrekwɪzət/ formal [usually before noun] the requisite things are the ones that you need to have in order to do something:
The other candidates lacked the requisite skills.
the requisite evidence needed for a successful prosecution

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲