quintessence

noun

kwin-ˈte-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce quintessence (audio)
Definition of quintessencenext
1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is a selfless desire to help others is the quintessence of the virtue of charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quintessence True to its low-impact quintessence, the culinary program takes a farm-to-table approach emphasizing fresh, local ingredients. — Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2024 Monodromic k-essence models of dark energy appear to match actual observations of the universe slightly better than quintessence. — Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe. — Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020 To celebrate the Domaine, Lancôme has introduced a special edition Mille et Une Roses (1001 Roses) fragrance, created by perfumer Louise Turner to capture the quintessence of this glorious and significant flower. — April Long, Town & Country, 26 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
  1. manifestation
  2. essence
  3. classic
  4. apotheosis
  5. ideal
  6. incarnation
  7. model
  8. perfection
Noun
  • Your question is a manifestation of handwringing, and so, yeah, a lot of people don’t pay attention to it, and that’s okay, and a lot of people do, and that’s better.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 July 2026
  • Meta’s compute business is also the latest manifestation of the circular economy in the AI race, like SpaceX’s recent decision to rent out data center space to Anthropic.
    — Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of manifestation
Noun
  • The intimate hotel opens for the season in mid-to-late April, and encapsulates the essence of Broad Street, which is known for hyper-local boutiques and restaurants.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • At nighttime, my typical routine is a double-cleanse, essence, Prismatic+, retinol, and richer cream.
    — Sarah Han, Allure, 6 July 2026
Definition of essence
Noun
  • The first two movies established themselves as genre classics, combining heart-stopping action with futuristic sci-fi that explored the threat of AI bringing about an apocalypse.
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • Today, Culinary Hill has grown into a site that’s 1,379 recipes strong, including classics such as sloppy joes and slow cooker meatballs with grape jelly sauce.
    — Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of classic
Noun
  • The millenia-old quest to control fire may be nearing its apotheosis as technology has finally come for some one of the oldest cooking techniques out there.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • Lost Lantern’s passion for sourcing whiskey from every corner of this great land of ours has reached its apotheosis with its tribute to America on its 250th birthday, The United States Of Bourbon.
    — Tony Sachs, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of apotheosis
Noun
  • This can fuel a return to regressive ideals of masculinity and virility.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • Universities, like every organization, must balance educational ideals with monetary realities, demographic pressures, legal constraints, and institutional priorities.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of ideal
Noun
  • None of them had heard of the Village People, which still tours in its latest incarnation, with a Willis lookalike on lead vocals.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026
  • The investment comes during the run-up to a milestone for the modern incarnation of the sport, which was invented centuries ago by Native Americans, with its inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 June 2026
Definition of incarnation
Noun
  • Open-source and open-weight models make different parts of an AI model available for developers to inspect, use and sometimes modify.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Unlike some folding bikes – including popular models from Brompton and Birdy – which come with small 16-inch wheels, the Tetra gets 20-inchers for greater comfort over a variety of road surfaces.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 July 2026
Definition of model
Noun
  • Played to perfection by Robert Picardo, the Emergency Medical Hologram was programmed to save lives and give sass.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
  • But for many women, the motivation is less about perfection and more about confidence, control, and self-care.
    — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of perfection

Browse Nearby Words

quilts
quintessence
quintessences
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on quintessence

Nglish: Translation of quintessence for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All