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
Whenever death struck this ancient community, the Chinchorro engaged in an act of grieving that essentially became art.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Dec. 2025
That’s due in large part, experts say, to the regulator having been essentially defanged about 30 years ago, creating what would become the Wild West of dietary supplements.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Legislators passed a law in 2024 that essentially specifies emotional support animals are not service dogs and clarifies that a dog must be trained or is being trained to perform tasks or work for a person with a disability is allowed.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Dec. 2025
The sandwich cleaning method is essentially repeating the first step in your cleaning process for your final step.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Dec. 2025
That’s due in large part, experts say, to the regulator having been essentially defanged about 30 years ago, creating what would become the Wild West of dietary supplements.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Legislators passed a law in 2024 that essentially specifies emotional support animals are not service dogs and clarifies that a dog must be trained or is being trained to perform tasks or work for a person with a disability is allowed.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Dec. 2025
The sandwich cleaning method is essentially repeating the first step in your cleaning process for your final step.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
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