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

Areas west of the 405 Freeway have received essentially no rain and are at the highest risk for wildfire, said Daniel Swain, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

But, the fight between LSU and the SEC was essentially just getting started, which also came after subtle threats from the conference to kick the Tigers out of the league. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

For example, greenhouse gas emissions from melting permafrost, wildfires, or other natural sources, which are all triggered by the temperatures associated with global warming, could essentially become a cycle that fuels itself. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Harden essentially forced his way with trades out of Houston and Brooklyn and soon added the Sixers to the list. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for essentially

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