Essential
Essential adjective - Impossible to do without.
Functional and essential are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Functional" instead an adjective "Essential".
Functional
Functional adjective - Being in effective operation.
Essential and functional are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Essential" instead an adjective "Functional".
Both words in one sentence
- And this trope was applied with good reason — he was a Humongous Mecha, and the Matoran kept him functional by doing essential work inside him.
Source: Gods Need Prayer Badly - Comes complete with a huge range of perks, including a fully functional castle, the power to conscript and train anyone to be a follower, order the imprisonment, death, or enslavement of anyone (including essential NPCs), build your own royal army, and even wage war on the Thalmor.
- This is a version of Functional Magic that revolves around the use of "true names." A true name perfectly describes something's essential nature; knowing a true name gives one power over the owner of the name.
Source: I Know Your True Name
Cite this Source
Functional and Essential. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/essential/functional
Essential & Functional. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/essential/functional>.
Functional or Essential. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/essential/functional.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "essential" and "functional" have occurred on timeline