essential element

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Petroleum is an essential element in modern industry, whether used as a fuel, a lubricant or an ingredient in plastics and chemicals.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

But if you say you’re fighting a war on behalf of a country’s oppressed people, it’s a good idea—in fact, it is an essential element of the war strategy—to think about this problem.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

The doxing charge recently was dropped by prosecutors after it was determined Brown had not revealed the agent’s home address, an essential element of the alleged crime, according to motions filed in that case.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

An ancient string instrument evolved into the flat-top acoustic guitar—an essential element in American folk, blues and rock.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Not surprisingly, then, preventing arbitrary searches and seizures by the police was deemed by the Founding Fathers an essential element of the U.S.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander