essential

Synonyms: capital cardinal chief constitutive crucial foremost fundamental imperative indispensable leading main necessary necessitous needed needful prerequisite principal required requisite righthand wanted

Antonyms: accessory auxiliary inessential minor nonessential secondary subsidiary unimportant

Synonyms: absolute basal cardinal cold complete congenital connate constitutional deep-seated elemental elementary ideal inborn inbred inherent innate intrinsic key main material meat and potatoes name of the game nitty-gritty nub perfect primary prime primitive principal quintessential substratal underlying

Antonyms: atypical minor secondary

Synonyms: abcs bottom line brass tacks condition element essence fire and ice fundamental groceries guts heart meat and potatoes must name of the game nitty-gritty nuts and bolts part and parcel precondition prerequisite principle quintessence requirement requisite rudiment sine qua non stuff substance vital part where one’s at

Antonyms: accessory auxiliary nonessential subsidiary throwaway trivia