necessity

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. something that you must have, such as food, water, or medicine.

n. an indispensable item or requirement, especially for survival or a specific purpose.

“A warm coat is a necessity if you plan to visit the mountains in winter.”

“In many remote regions, access to clean drinking water remains a basic necessity that is unfortunately not yet guaranteed for all residents.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Technical · Formal

n. a reason used in court to explain why someone broke a law to prevent something worse from happening.

n. a defence in tort or criminal law justifying an otherwise illegal act on the grounds that it prevented a greater harm.

“The driver claimed necessity after speeding to get a critically injured person to the hospital.”

“The court had to determine whether the defendant's actions met the strict legal criteria for a necessity defence during the emergency evacuation.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Literary · Archaic

n. a state of being very poor and not having the things you need.

n. the condition of being in desperate need or experiencing extreme poverty.

“The family lived in great necessity after the factory closed down.”

“The novel depicts the harsh realities of those driven to desperate measures by the sheer weight of necessity and social neglect.”