must

Cannot avoid it

Must expresses necessity or obligation: You must wear a seatbelt.

It also conveys strong probability or logical certainty: It must be past midnight.

As a noun, a must is something essential: This book is a must for anyone interested in the subject.

Separately, must is the freshly pressed grape juice before or during fermentation into wine.

obligation

duty

Required moral task

requirementMandatory condition to fulfill
necessityIndispensable requirement
mandateFormal authoritative directive

compulsion · commitment · essential · imperative · prerequisite · responsibility · stipulation · constraint · charge · precept

fermentation

grape

Vine-grown berry cluster

wineFermented grape beverage
juiceExtracted fruit liquid
ciderPressed apple beverage

pressing · vintage · winemaking · pomace · crush · barrel · yeast · ferment · vintner · harvest

mold

mildew

Fungus from dampness

dampSlightly wet
decayGradual organic breakdown
sporesAsexual reproductive bodies

fungus · moisture · stale · rot · deterioration · basement · cellar · dampness · discoloration · allergen

aroma

scent

Airborne odor detected

smellOlfactory perception
odorPerceived atmospheric emission
fragrancePleasing olfactory quality

nose · whiff · bouquet · essence · pungent · earthy · stale · dank · redolence · olfactory

rut

mating

Reproductive pairing behavior

seasonYearly division or series
buckMale deer or dollar
stagMale deer

deer · elk · moose · antler · breeding · bull · testosterone · aggression · dominance · bellowing

Categories

Basic English Wordswho, what, when, where, why
normsnorm, norms, standard, social norms, rule
Stop Wordsa, an, the, of, to
Strong Adviceshould, ought to, need to, have to, warning
function wordsa, an, the, and, or
verb helpersam, are, be, been, being

Opposites

necessity vs optionality

Not mandatory

luxury · nonessential · extra · frill · extravagance

obligation vs permission

Isn't required to

may · must not · mustn't · can · might

certainty vs uncertainty (epistemic)

Great physical strength

may · could · possibly · perhaps · maybe

Phrases

must beIs required to
must notForbidden to do
must haveIndispensable item or requirement
the show must go onTheatre's resilience creed
must seeRequired viewing or visiting
you must be joking

Family

musty, muster, musts, musky, mustered, mustiness, musters, mustier, mustiest

Familiarity: Top 500
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G