necessarily
gb/nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹəli/ us/nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹəli/
B1
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
Unavoidably or inevitably
Used to say something must happen or be true and cannot be different.
Usage pattern:
not necessarily [adjective/true/the case]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'necessarily' with 'necessary'. 'Necessary' is an adjective meaning 'needed', while 'necessarily' is an adverb describing how something is true or happens.
Synonyms
inevitably (Stronger in suggesting that something will certainly happen.)
|
unavoidably (Focuses more on the impossibility of avoiding the situation.)
Antonyms
optionally (Indicates that something is not required and can be chosen freely.)
|
contingently (Implies that something depends on conditions and is not fixed.)
Collocations
not necessarily true
|doesn't necessarily mean
|necessarily imply
Themes
logic
|daily life
|reasoning
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Success in school does not necessarily lead to success in life.
- Being older doesn't necessarily make you wiser.
- A higher price doesn't necessarily mean better quality.
- It doesn't necessarily follow that he is guilty.
- Working long hours doesn't necessarily result in higher productivity.
Learner examples
- It is not necessarily easy to learn English.
- A big house is not necessarily better.
- Being rich does not necessarily make you happy.
- Cold weather does not necessarily mean snow.
- A new phone is not necessarily faster.
Grammar
Dictionary form
necessarily
IPA
GB/nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹəli/
US/nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹəli/
Syllables & stress
ne - ces - sar - ily (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (sar)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: necessarily
- Plural: necessarilies
Word family
Forms
necessarilies
noun
Related words
necessitate
verb C1
Negative and opposite forms
unnecessary
adjective B1
unnecessarily
adverb
Expressions
not necessarily
1/nˈɑt nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹəli/
fixed phrase
Not always the case
Used to say that something may not always be true or happen in every situation.
Examples
- Rich people are not necessarily happy.
- The most popular choice is not necessarily the best one.