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
To recap, Bonds essentially broke the sport in the first eight years of the 2000s, winning four MVP awards while slashing .322/.517/.724.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 2 June 2025
Keenum can essentially function as an extension of the coaching staff.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
Trump essentially agrees with Russia's position, saying Ukraine needs to make major concessions.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025
For a woman of Fuller’s talents, there was essentially nowhere to go, no obvious niche in the ecosystem of New England’s intellectual life.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 2 June 2025
Keenum can essentially function as an extension of the coaching staff.
—Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
Trump essentially agrees with Russia's position, saying Ukraine needs to make major concessions.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025
For a woman of Fuller’s talents, there was essentially nowhere to go, no obvious niche in the ecosystem of New England’s intellectual life.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 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 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share