essentially
adverb
es·sen·tial·ly
i-ˈsen(t)-shə-lē 
-ˈsench-lē
: in essence : fundamentally
—used to identify or stress the basic or essential character or nature of a person or thing or to say that a description is basically true or accurate
He's essentially a good man.
… painting, essentially a two-dimensional art …—
Herbert Read
Herbert ReadThe fact that so many bloggers are essentially anonymous allows them to spew rancor, rumor, lies, and obscenities.—Gil Troy
Gil TroyAphids feed on the sugary phloem of plants. Essentially they steal the product of photosynthesis.—Caleb Rounds
Caleb RoundsExamples of essentially in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are no particular criteria and it’s essentially all decided by whoever is chair of the AELTC at the time, which has been Debbie Jevans since 2023.
—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Did the woman who has spent a career immersed in romance with all of its joys and sorrows really exchange vows in what's essentially her workplace?
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
But that seems like an obstacle that could’ve been worked around in retrospect, given that FIFA has essentially built its own pitches at other venues above the regular playing surfaces.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
The Rockets essentially dumped Finney-Smith in a cost-cutting move after making some free agent transactions, notably signing guard Marcus Smart, and surrendered three second-rounders to the Hornets to seal the deal.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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Nick Miller,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Did the woman who has spent a career immersed in romance with all of its joys and sorrows really exchange vows in what's essentially her workplace?
—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
But that seems like an obstacle that could’ve been worked around in retrospect, given that FIFA has essentially built its own pitches at other venues above the regular playing surfaces.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
The Rockets essentially dumped Finney-Smith in a cost-cutting move after making some free agent transactions, notably signing guard Marcus Smart, and surrendered three second-rounders to the Hornets to seal the deal.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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