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
The decree would essentially ban all locomotives that are more than 23 years old.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
Sales were essentially flat at $419.9 million in the quarter compared with $420.3 million in the prior-year period.
—Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 11 Sep. 2024
The country is essentially already drill-baby-drilling.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024
The race is essentially tied in polls and is likely to remain close until election day.
—Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for essentially 
John Tamny, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
Sales were essentially flat at $419.9 million in the quarter compared with $420.3 million in the prior-year period.
—Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 11 Sep. 2024
The country is essentially already drill-baby-drilling.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024
The race is essentially tied in polls and is likely to remain close until election day.
—Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for essentially
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essentially.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 21 Sep. 2024.
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