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necessarily

B2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /nˌɛsɪsˈɛrəli/

US

  • /ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli/

Description

"Necessarily" is not about wanting something to happen. It is about what must be true or what must happen because of the facts or the situation. Think of simple logic: if all birds have wings and a robin is a bird, then a robin necessarily has wings. The result is required by the facts.

It shows a strong logical connection. If you leave paper outside in heavy rain, it will necessarily get wet. That is much stronger than saying "maybe" or "probably." The word is also often used in negative sentences to show that something is not always true. For example, "A high price does not necessarily mean high quality" means the connection is possible, but not certain.

Examples

  1. 1

    Value comparison

    Expensive food is not necessarily better than cheap food.

  2. 2

    Test results

    A good exam score does not necessarily mean someone understands the subject.

  3. 3

    Short answer

    "Will traffic be bad?" "Not necessarily; it depends on the weather."

    • Phrase

      Not necessarily

      a short answer meaning "maybe not"

  4. 4

    Deadlines

    You do not necessarily have to finish it today; tomorrow is fine.

    • Pattern

      do not necessarily have to + verb

      may not need to do it

  5. 5

    Possible reasons

    She left early, but not necessarily because she was upset.

  6. 6

    Risk planning

    Any serious plan necessarily involves some risk.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • necessarilyadverb