totally indispensable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "totally indispensable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize that something is absolutely necessary or essential in a particular context. Example: "In our modern world, access to clean water is totally indispensable for maintaining public health."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In time, no one is totally indispensable.

Independent

"Since then," Andrade says with a hint of relief, "she has become totally indispensable.

The Guardian

"My wife is always asking me the same question," he says with a laugh, "and I have to explain it's because I'm totally indispensable".

The New York Times

"A classic sign of insufficient delegation is that you are working long hours and feel totally indispensable, while your staff isn't terribly energized and keeps strangely regular hours," says Walker.

Harvard Business Review

Check out the website: redroom.com to buy his just released book: "Will Durst's Totally Indispensable Guide to the 2012 Election".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"It's completely indispensable".

The New York Times - Tech

All are indispensable.

The New Yorker

All were indispensable.

Forbes

Still, unless the major economies are content to accept a scenario of a totally irrelevant or nonexistent I.M.F., the indispensable reforms will happen one day.

The New York Times

How to get from here to truly and totally here is the modern conundrum, beyond linear ideas of progress, where mindful awareness proves indispensable.

HuffPost

The survival of the hybrid population totally depends on the continued contact with the sexual parental population which serves as an indispensable sperm donor.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "totally indispensable" to strongly emphasize that something is absolutely essential and cannot be done without. It adds a layer of intensity to the idea of being indispensable.

Common error

While "totally indispensable" emphasizes importance, overuse of such strong intensifiers can weaken your writing. Consider if the intensity is truly warranted or if a simpler term like "indispensable" would suffice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "totally indispensable" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, emphasizing its absolute necessity or essential nature. Ludwig indicates this phrase is acceptable and usable in written English, as supported by example sentences.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "totally indispensable" is an adjective phrase used to strongly emphasize that something is absolutely essential. Ludwig confirms the phrase is correct and usable, although its frequency is relatively rare. Predominantly found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts, it conveys a sense of critical importance. Alternatives such as "absolutely essential" and "utterly crucial" offer similar meanings with slight variations in intensity. While grammatically sound, be mindful of overusing intensifiers in your writing. Therefore, the phrase is most effective when used to underscore the vital nature of a subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absolutely essential

This alternative highlights the critical importance of something, emphasizing that it cannot be done without.

utterly crucial

This alternative underscores the decisive role something plays, suggesting that failure is likely without it.

completely vital

This alternative stresses the life-sustaining or critical importance of something.

entirely necessary

This alternative simply states that something is a requirement, without added emphasis.

wholly critical

This alternative emphasizes the decisiveness and importance of something for a positive outcome.

indispensable

This alternative is shorter and lacks the emphasis provided by "totally".

essential without question

This alternative emphasizes the essential nature of something and suggests its importance is not up for debate.

a must-have

This alternative phrase is more informal and suggests something is highly desirable and beneficial.

cannot do without

This alternative expresses the idea of indispensability by highlighting the inability to function effectively in its absence.

fundamentally important

This alternative underlines the basic and underlying significance of something.

FAQs

How can I use "totally indispensable" in a sentence?

You can use "totally indispensable" to describe something absolutely essential. For example, "Access to clean water is "totally indispensable" for public health."

What are some alternatives to "totally indispensable"?

Alternatives include "absolutely essential", "utterly crucial", or "completely vital", depending on the level of formality you desire.

Is "totally indispensable" too strong of a phrase to use in formal writing?

While generally acceptable, in some formal contexts, consider whether the emphasis provided by "totally" is necessary. Simpler terms like "indispensable" or "essential" might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "indispensable" and "totally indispensable"?

"Totally indispensable" adds an intensifier to "indispensable", emphasizing the absolute necessity of something. While "indispensable" implies essentiality, "totally indispensable" amplifies this, suggesting it is impossible to proceed without it.