perfectly necessary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "perfectly necessary" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something is absolutely required or essential in a given context. Example: "In order to complete the project on time, it is perfectly necessary to allocate additional resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

It seemed perfectly necessary and routine at the time.

Forbes

Sadly, many families living in urban environments simply cannot fulfill their kid's puppy dreams due to perfectly necessary, practical considerations, but those who can, have a lot to think about and much to consider before taking the leap into pet ownership.

Huffington Post

Never wear any piece that is not perfectly necessary to the look you are trying to project.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

With so much of our culture sending messages through its technological conduits to your children that it's okay to lie, cheat, steal, be irresponsible and act selfishly, how can your children not come to the conclusion that such behavior is not only perfectly acceptable, but absolutely necessary to find success in life?

Huffington Post

Yet most advocates consider these kinds of tools to be perfectly legitimate -- and absolutely necessary given the practical impossibility of surmounting the obstacles imposed by States and businesses to the remedies they purport to provide.

Huffington Post

First, proposition (2) [God exists and is omnipotent, perfectly wise, and perfectly good.], the antecedent of (1), is itself absolutely necessary.

SEP

(While a perfectly smooth surface at this point is the ideal, it's not absolutely necessary, since you will be covering it over with liner, below).

WikiHow

The problem here is that if indeed there is this incompatibility between a perfectly good necessary being (God) and gratuitous evils or even absolutely horrendous evils, then it would follow that such worlds would not be possible worlds, for they would contain a contradiction.

SEP

But we also know that Kikutani has lost the remorse he showed at the time of his trial, that he now thinks his crimes were perfectly logical and necessary.

The New York Times - Books

Even the process of evaluating whether the project was a success and the grant worthwhile – a perfectly laudable and necessary exercise – can so often be perfunctory or excessively bureaucratic, as if foundations are just going through the motions.

The Guardian - Opinion

This, in Hegel's view, is a perfectly appropriate, indeed necessary, thing for music to do.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "perfectly necessary" to emphasize that a step, action, or item is not just helpful but absolutely crucial and cannot be omitted without negative consequences. This adds weight to your argument or instruction.

Common error

Avoid using "perfectly necessary" in overly casual or informal situations where simpler terms like "necessary" or "essential" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound stilted or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "perfectly necessary" functions as an intensifier modifying an adjective. According to Ludwig AI, this emphasizes the absolute requirement or essential nature of something. Examples show it qualifying actions, items, or considerations as being not just needed, but indispensable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33.33%

Wiki

33.33%

Science

33.33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "perfectly necessary" is grammatically correct and serves to emphasize the absolute necessity of something. According to Ludwig AI, it is most frequently found in News & Media, Wiki, and Scientific contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. While effective for adding emphasis, it's important to avoid overuse in casual settings to maintain clarity and impact. Alternatives like "absolutely essential" or "utterly indispensable" can offer similar emphasis with slight variations in tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absolutely essential

Emphasizes the essential nature using a stronger adverb.

utterly indispensable

Highlights the irreplaceable quality of something.

completely vital

Stresses the importance for survival or proper functioning.

totally required

Indicates a mandatory or non-negotiable aspect.

entirely crucial

Focuses on the decisive importance of something.

unquestionably needed

Removes any doubt about the necessity of something.

undeniably requisite

Highlights the formal requirement or condition.

patently imperative

Emphasizes the obvious and urgent need.

plainly obligatory

Stresses the binding nature of a requirement.

fully fundamental

Underlines the foundational importance.

FAQs

How can I use "perfectly necessary" in a sentence?

You can use "perfectly necessary" to emphasize the essential nature of something. For example, "In order to succeed, hard work is "absolutely necessary"."

What are some alternatives to "perfectly necessary"?

Alternatives include "absolutely essential", "utterly indispensable", or "completely vital", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "perfectly necessary"?

While "necessary" alone conveys requirement, "perfectly necessary" emphasizes the completeness or irreplaceability of that requirement. It's not always redundant but adds extra emphasis.

What's the difference between "necessary" and "perfectly necessary"?

"Necessary" indicates a requirement, while "perfectly necessary" intensifies this, suggesting an absolute or undeniable requirement. The latter adds a stronger sense of essentiality.