gratuitousness
Quality of being unwarranted
Gratuitousness is the quality of being unnecessary, unwarranted, or given without good reason.
The word often carries negative connotations—gratuitous violence in a film adds shock without serving the story, and a gratuitous insult wounds without purpose.
The gratuitousness of his cruelty shocked everyone.
Less commonly, it can mean the quality of being free or without charge.
Lacking adequate reason
- unprovokedWithout prior instigation
- uncalled-forNot justified or necessary
- unmeritedNot rightfully due
- undeservedNot rightfully owed
baseless · groundless · unfounded · unnecessary · unneeded · superfluous · pointless · purposeless
Excessive quantity beyond need
- superfluityExcessive amount beyond necessity
- overkillUnnecessary additional effort
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- surplusAmount exceeding requirement
profusion · surfeit · glut · saturation · oversupply · inundation · deluge · avalanche
Excessive richness or abundance
- extravaganceExcessive, wasteful spending
- opulenceShowy, abundant prosperity
- decadenceMoral decline through excess
- sumptuousnessExtreme costly elegance
excess · ostentation · showiness · flamboyance · splurge · profligacy · overelaboration · gaudiness
unjustified
Lacking adequate reason
- unprovokedWithout prior instigation
- uncalled-forNot justified or necessary
- unmeritedNot rightfully due
undeserved · baseless · groundless · unfounded · unnecessary · unneeded · superfluous · pointless · purposeless · needless
overabundance
Excessive quantity beyond need
- superfluityExcessive amount beyond necessity
- overkillUnnecessary additional effort
- redundancyNeedless duplication
surplus · profusion · surfeit · glut · saturation · oversupply · inundation · deluge · avalanche · flood
lavishness
Excessive richness or abundance
- extravaganceExcessive, wasteful spending
- opulenceShowy, abundant prosperity
- decadenceMoral decline through excess
sumptuousness · excess · ostentation · showiness · flamboyance · splurge · profligacy · overelaboration · gaudiness · theatricality
gratuitousnessnecessity
Indispensable requirement
essentiality · indispensability · needfulness · imperativeness · unavoidability
gratuitousnessjustification
Reason proving rightness
legitimacy · groundedness · motivation · substantiation · purposefulness
grace, grateful, gracious, gratitude, congratulate, gratis, ungrateful, gratuity, ingrate