as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
Helen of Troy was supposedly the quintessential beauty of the ancient world
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Recent Examples of quintessential
There's not much more quintessential Philly than a hot and meaty cheesesteak.
—
Marcella Baietto, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Step Back in Time on Hydra Catch the two-hour ferry from Athens to reach this quintessential port town beloved by everyone from The Rolling Stones and Brigitte Bardot to Leonard Cohen, who famously owned a home on the island and wrote Bird on the Wire while living here.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Junior guard Ashlynn Shade scored the 1,000th point of her UConn women’s basketball career on a quintessential Ashlynn Shade play.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
In conjunction with Hartman, assistant coach Jonathan Safir — Florida’s quintessential numbers guy in a building of numbers guys — leads the charge on teaching rebounding.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quintessential
Marcella Baietto, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Step Back in Time on Hydra Catch the two-hour ferry from Athens to reach this quintessential port town beloved by everyone from The Rolling Stones and Brigitte Bardot to Leonard Cohen, who famously owned a home on the island and wrote Bird on the Wire while living here.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Junior guard Ashlynn Shade scored the 1,000th point of her UConn women’s basketball career on a quintessential Ashlynn Shade play.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
In conjunction with Hartman, assistant coach Jonathan Safir — Florida’s quintessential numbers guy in a building of numbers guys — leads the charge on teaching rebounding.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quintessential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessential
Adjective
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The Grammy-winning musician made her Broadway debut as Zidler in the classic musical on March 24.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The hotel recently completed a thoughtful refresh by design studio FBEYE International, and the result is a property that feels classic and contemporary.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Luplow, 36, is one of four winners of the inaugural FECK Awards, a national program created by Chaz Ebert to recognize people who show exemplary forgiveness, empathy, compassion and kindness, or FECK.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Bakri is responsible for many soul-shattering moments in Cherien Dabis’s exemplary multigenerational epic All That’s Left of You (now on digital), and the first takes place after an elementary-school lesson.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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On this postcard-perfect corner of Canada’s northeastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador that’s slammed by wind and waves, cod-fishing communities hold on to their distinctive settler history.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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Anything less than near-perfect means teams are preparing for a potential delay.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This archetypal hamburger and shake joint, founded in September 1956, initially had a long counter and about four tables.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
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Shearer and Greaves are considered among the archetypal greatest centre-forwards in the English game, but that accolade now solely belongs to Kane, whose goalscoring achievements in England and Germany are remarkable.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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He then was sent back to the IceHogs, a somewhat surprising move given the Hawks’ need for a definitive shooter outside of Bedard.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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According to Federal Donuts Founders In addition to recipes, the new Federal Donuts book also includes a definitive guide to donuts across the country.—
David Farley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Apple has somehow emerged from the global hardware shortage as a value buy, with its MacBook Neo offering an excellent modern computing experience for a mere $600.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
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Harbor locals should boast that one of the county’s singularly excellent pizzerias is in their backyard.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quintessential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessential. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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