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

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

Fudd essentially went through a full pregame prep before the doors opened at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

During my drives in the Model Y, the vehicle was essentially controlling itself for multiple hours and dozens of miles without intervention on highway and nonhighway roads. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

Until recently, the cryptography that proves ownership of digital assets was considered essentially unbreakable. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

Growth may be slowing, but Russia’s economy is essentially sound. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for essentially

• potentially
• circumferentially
• experientially
• confidentially
• exponentially
• inferentially