essentially

adverb

es·​sen·​tial·​ly i-ˈsen(t)-shə-lē How to pronounce essentially (audio)
-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
The fact that so many bloggers are essentially anonymous allows them to spew rancor, rumor, lies, and obscenities.Gil Troy
Aphids feed on the sugary phloem of plants. Essentially they steal the product of photosynthesis.Caleb Rounds

Examples of essentially in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In reality, experts say Biden’s new rule essentially restores the federal approach to gig work that was in place under President Obama. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 For the latter claim, Blanche tried to convince the judge that when Trump sent 15 boxes of documents to the National Archives and Records Administration in early 2022, that was essentially a donation on the president’s part. Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The bill essentially says that TikTok must be sold within six months to a buyer that satisfies the U.S. government. Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 To explain: the Augustine Sisters, who provided free medical services on this site since the 17th century, essentially introduced public healthcare to Canada by dedicating their lives to caring for people. Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Mar. 2024 That's essentially what this week's competition entailed. Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 All the other songs in that first film were woven in with the story and the way they were cut into the scenes, they were all edited together–essentially the scenes were edited with the songs in mind, and vice versa. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 After a timeout, Rozier then lost the ball on a sharp defensive play from Caldwell-Pope, and that essentially settled matters. Give the Heat credit for resilience. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 The brand's signature Cell Service complex of growth factors and peptides essentially boosts skin's collagen and elastin product, while promoting firmer, bouncier skin. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of essentially was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near essentially

Cite this Entry

“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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