1
as in nature
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
the belief that power ultimately rests with the people is the very essence of democracy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in core
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
presented the essence of weeks of testimony in a 20-minute appeal to the jury
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of essence
The beef is seasoned simply, but that time soaking in the essence of beef flavor gives the tender meat a distinct richness balanced by the crispy edges from the plancha.
—
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
The visa bond program functions, in essence, like a security deposit that’s layered on top of the standard visa process.
—Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
In essence, Bright Lights, Big City, instead of being emotionally provoking and riveting, is distressingly gray and tedious, enlivened only by Fox’s gifted histrionics.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
In response, traditionalists have gnashed their teeth and complained that the dark essence of the music has been lost.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essence
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
The visa bond program functions, in essence, like a security deposit that’s layered on top of the standard visa process.
—Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
In essence, Bright Lights, Big City, instead of being emotionally provoking and riveting, is distressingly gray and tedious, enlivened only by Fox’s gifted histrionics.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
In response, traditionalists have gnashed their teeth and complained that the dark essence of the music has been lost.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essence
Noun
-
The Legislature, designed to be a deliberative body, moves slowly by nature, and has through the end of August to send bills to Newsom for his signature or veto.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Review subscriptions and tidy receipts, then update prices or boundaries, because clear values help your compassionate nature avoid overgiving.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That included both the SLS rocket's core stage and upper stage separately at different times from Orion, which also deployed its solar arrays to draw power from the sun while reaching a high-Earth orbit about 46,000 miles high.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
According to statements from the lawmakers involved, the core issue is security.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The brain is protected by a complex defense system that blocks foreign substances, making treatment difficult.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, Lindsey Buckingham was attacked by a stalking suspect while walking into an appointment in Santa Monica, California; that woman, who allegedly threw an unknown substance at him, has now been charged with seven criminal counts in Los Angeles County, reports Rolling Stone.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But her heart drifted toward other activities — usually whatever her brother Treston Brazile was doing, like baseball, soccer, and basketball.—
Charles Baggarly
April 7,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The camera briefly returned to the actual game — the Giants’ Landen Roupp threw a pitch to Jorge Polanco, who fouled the ball off his foot — but the booth’s hearts were clearly in the stands.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Young Alfred Tennyson grew up in a similarly provincial bit of England, tucked away in his father’s vicarage on a remote part of the east coast of England in a village of fewer than a hundred souls.—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Because this energy is centered in Scorpio and Cancer, we’re blessed with the depth of soul needed to accept the true needs of others and ourselves.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My in-room Japanese breakfast was another highlight, with hjiki seaweed and red snow crab, stems of earthy burdock root, crunchy snow pea with yuzu, and buttery, roasted Greenland halibut.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
-
These five artists have combined their Indigenous roots with revolutionary artistic techniques to preserve their cultures in the face of adversity.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Call it manifestation, call it delusion (lovingly), call it a coping mechanism for ambition, but dressing for your future self is quietly becoming one of the most powerful styling frameworks of this moment.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Apr. 2026
-
For more of the science behind optimism and manifestation, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Those still using a 486 for one reason or another will still be able to run older Linux kernels and vintage operating systems—running old software without emulation or virtualization is one of the few reasons to keep booting up hardware this old.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
-
There are also mini Bowser cauldrons capable of holding five to 11 kernels of popcorn.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Essence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essence. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
