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
Jack Hinshelwood, in common with Wieffer, is essentially a midfielder.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The defense, despite playing without starting linebacker Wesley Bissainthe for essentially the whole game after he was charged with targeting three plays into the contest, held Bethune-Cookman (0-2) to just three points over six drives when the starters were on the field.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
The device sends signals around the clock in someone who has Parkinson’s, but Shirvalkar thought a constant signal wouldn’t work for chronic pain because the brain can become acclimated to the impulses and essentially override them.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
And that difference between that kind of storytelling and what is essentially propagandistic storytelling has never been so clear to me.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 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.
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The defense, despite playing without starting linebacker Wesley Bissainthe for essentially the whole game after he was charged with targeting three plays into the contest, held Bethune-Cookman (0-2) to just three points over six drives when the starters were on the field.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
The device sends signals around the clock in someone who has Parkinson’s, but Shirvalkar thought a constant signal wouldn’t work for chronic pain because the brain can become acclimated to the impulses and essentially override them.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
And that difference between that kind of storytelling and what is essentially propagandistic storytelling has never been so clear to me.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 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 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share