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
Some of e-commerce blocks are essentially online catalog pages with customizable layouts.
—PC Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Some analysts say this structure, where Nvidia is essentially subsidizing one of its biggest customers, artificially inflates actual demand for AI.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
When people get a fish pedicure, the fish essentially nibble away at this dead layer − basically exfoliating like a scrub would.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
However, if the Heat loses to the Bucks on Wednesday, it will essentially be eliminated from the NBA Cup race.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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PC Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Some analysts say this structure, where Nvidia is essentially subsidizing one of its biggest customers, artificially inflates actual demand for AI.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
When people get a fish pedicure, the fish essentially nibble away at this dead layer − basically exfoliating like a scrub would.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
However, if the Heat loses to the Bucks on Wednesday, it will essentially be eliminated from the NBA Cup race.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Nov. 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 30 Nov. 2025.
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