unnecessarily

Unnecessarily is an adverb meaning to a degree beyond what is required, justified, or appropriate. It is formed from the adjective unnecessary with the suffix -ly. The adjective unnecessary itself comes from un- (“not”) + necessary, with roots in Latin necessarius. The word is used to describe actions, conditions, or explanations that surpass what is needed.

It commonly modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Examples: "The meeting was unnecessarily long," "He spoke unnecessarily loudly," or "She arrived unnecessarily early." In some contexts it conveys criticism or emphasis on avoidable excess, while in others it notes inefficiency or waste.

Unnecessarily contrasts with synonyms such as needlessly and gratuitously. While all can express excess, unnecessarily often stresses avoidable excess, whereas needlessly may carry a more moral or emotional tone. A typical caution is to place it directly before the word it modifies: "unnecessarily expensive," "unnecessarily complicated." It should not be used with constructions like "it is unnecessarily to say," where the correct form is "it is unnecessary to say" or "it is not necessary to say."

See also: unnecessary, needlessly, gratuitous. References include standard dictionaries and usage guides on adverbs and modifiers.