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
The new changes strip the groups of their priority block times for play, which members argue will essentially force the associations to shutter.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
She was billed right below him on the same stage and had essentially already planned a performance fit for scale, anyway.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
After releasing two alluringly atmospheric final albums, Frozen and Notes Campfire, on a tiny German label, Souled American essentially vanished by the late ’90s, their discography sliding into out-of-print obscurity.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
What an imaginative exercise, to turn what is essentially a Warehouse of Stuff into an airy, welcoming paradise.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
She was billed right below him on the same stage and had essentially already planned a performance fit for scale, anyway.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
After releasing two alluringly atmospheric final albums, Frozen and Notes Campfire, on a tiny German label, Souled American essentially vanished by the late ’90s, their discography sliding into out-of-print obscurity.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
What an imaginative exercise, to turn what is essentially a Warehouse of Stuff into an airy, welcoming paradise.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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