Word family noun necessity the necessaries the necessary adjective necessary ≠ unnecessary verb necessitate adverb necessarily ≠ unnecessarily
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishunnecessaryun‧ne‧ces‧sa‧ry /ʌnˈnesəsəri $ -seri/ ●●○ adjective NEED#not needed, or more than is neededunnecessary expense/cost/extravagance etc an unnecessary expense There’s no point in taking unnecessary risks. We can’t afford any unnecessary delays. Williams was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to animals —unnecessarily /ʌnˈnesəsərəli $ ˌʌn-nesəˈserəli/ adverb I don’t want to worry you unnecessarily.COLLOCATIONSadverbstotally/completely/entirely unnecessaryThe suffering of these animals is totally unnecessary.quite unnecessary British English‘I’ll give you a lift.’ ‘Thank you, but that’s quite unnecessary.’nounsunnecessary sufferingShe admitted causing the dog unnecessary suffering.an unnecessary riskNeither team is likely to take any unnecessary risks, so the result will probably be a draw.an unnecessary expense/costHe thinks advertising is an unnecessary expense.an unnecessary extravagance (=something that costs more than is necessary or more than you can afford)The chairman called first-class airline travel an unnecessary extravagance. Examples from the Corpus
unnecessary• The company is to challenge the conditions imposed by Sefton Council on the grounds that they are unnecessary.• The tendency to categorize black sportsmen and women differently from the rest is faintly racist and, I believe, totally unnecessary.• This does not, of course, imply that nurses should not be concerned with the prevention of unnecessary accidents.• For years, I fended off these touching but unnecessary acts of charity.• We can't afford any unnecessary delays.• Another factor led to frustration, annoyance, and an unnecessary expenditure of about $ 800,000.• It is unnecessary for the purposes of this appeal, to express a conclusion upon them.• The boy jerked them in over the gunwale, his father giving an unnecessary push from underneath.unnecessary suffering• But in Leeds High Court, a vet denied the mink endured unnecessary suffering.• Doctors were unable to treat them unless and until their parents had been traced and this could cause unnecessary suffering.• He had carried out a deliberate act causing unnecessary suffering and cruelty.• He denied two charges of abandoning the pets in circumstances likely to cause them unnecessary suffering on October 23 last year.• They are both accused of fourteen offences of causing unnecessary suffering to animals.• Woodruff admitted causing unnecessary suffering when she appeared before Swindon Magistrates. 