nonessentials
nonessentials — adjective
1. describing something that you can do without — it adds little or no value to a t
describing something that you can do without — it adds little or no value to a task, plan, or situation, so removing it would not cause harm.
Manuela cut every nonessential item from the family budget after her hours were reduced.
attributive: nonessential + noun (budget item)
During the storm, the hospital postponed all nonessential surgeries until the power was stable.
common collocation: nonessential surgeries / procedures / appointments
The new manager told the team that long status meetings were nonessential and a waste of time.
Walid packed only one small bag and left every nonessential gadget at home before the hike.
City officials shut down nonessential services for two days to save fuel during the heatwave.
- inessential
more formal; almost identical in meaning but rarer in everyday speech
- unnecessary
wider scope — includes things that are unwanted, not just things you can do without
- dispensable
emphasises that the thing can be removed without loss; often used of staff, equipment, or details
- superfluous
formal; suggests the thing is more than is needed, often in writing or argument
- essential
the direct opposite — something you cannot do without
- vital
stronger — essential for life, safety, or success
- indispensable
emphasises that the thing or person cannot be replaced
文法句型
nonessential + noun
be nonessential
用法筆記
Frequently attributive in fixed collocations such as 'nonessential services / travel / spending / surgeries', often in news and policy contexts. As a predicative ('this is nonessential'), it usually carries an implicit judgement that the thing should be cut or postponed.
常見錯誤
2. in biology and nutrition, describing a nutrient — usually an amino acid or fatty
in biology and nutrition, describing a nutrient — usually an amino acid or fatty acid — that the human body can build for itself in large enough amounts, so it does not have to come from food.
Glutamine is a nonessential amino acid that the liver produces during normal digestion.
core collocation: nonessential amino acid
The textbook explained that nonessential nutrients can be skipped in a healthy adult's daily diet.
attributive: nonessential + nutrient
Dr. Noa told her patients that some nonessential fatty acids are still useful for skin and heart health.
Children sometimes need extra protein because their growing bodies cannot make every nonessential amino acid quickly enough.
- dispensable
used in biochemistry as a near-synonym for 'nonessential' when describing amino acids
- essential
the matching technical term — must be obtained from the diet
文法句型
nonessential + amino acid / nutrient / fatty acid
用法筆記
Only used attributively before a biology term (amino acid, fatty acid, nutrient). Distinguish from sense 1: here 'nonessential' is a neutral biochemical category, not a judgement about value. The body still uses these substances — the label just means food intake is not required.