Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Something that is indispensable or obligatory.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective essential to own.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • If you have some extra money in your bank account, it's incredibly easy to come up with new, short-term "must-have" purchases.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Dan Greenshields 2011

  • Since the early twenty-first century, lol has been a must-have abbreviation.1 Devised by internet users, it conveys mirth—“laughing out loud”—that is invisible and inaudible in purely onscreen interaction.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • Since the early twenty-first century, lol has been a must-have abbreviation.1 Devised by internet users, it conveys mirth—“laughing out loud”—that is invisible and inaudible in purely onscreen interaction.

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • NOW: 'Drop zones' Once a must-have in the McMansion floor plan, double-story entrance foyers are now seen as a waste of space and energy-inefficient, homeowners and builders say.

    Blueprint for a New American Home S. Mitra Kalita 2011

  • London's New Bond Street and Oxford Street have long been must-have locations.

    Non-British Investors Go Shopping in London Anita Likus 2011

  • Still, Mr. Mackay said that Foster's is "not a must-have."

    Foster's Accepts Big Bid Dana Cimilluca 2011

  • When a must-have item comes down the runway, she immediately thinks, "How can we Bloom-itize it?"

    The Making of an 'Exclusive' Elizabeth Holmes 2011

  • Therefore, I was taken by surprise when two additional "must-have" gratins entered my life.

    Upper-Crust Gratins Gail Monaghan 2012

  • The company hasn't had a must-have consumer gadget in years.

    Sony's Hirai Must Make Investors Believe James Simms 2012

  • Known as Droid Razr, Motorola's newest smartphone recalls the device maker's blockbuster Razr feature-phone franchise, once the must-have handset before Apple Inc. brought out the iPhone.

    Motorola's New Droid: Razr Greg Bensinger 2011

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