# indispensable

/ˌɪndɪˈspɛnsəbəɫ/ (US) · /ˌɪndɪspˈɛnsəbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indispensable
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 3. a necessity

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a thing that you must have.

For teachers: a person or thing that is not dispensable; a fundamental necessity.

- Clean water and basic medicine are the indispensables of life.
- The report lists the indispensables for economic recovery, focusing primarily on infrastructure and education reform.

## Examples

- A good dictionary is indispensable for language learners.
- Her deep knowledge of the local market made her an indispensable member of the international sales team.
- While individual components may seem minor, the specialized software remains indispensable to the integrity of the entire security network, as no viable alternative currently exists.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.