ESSENTIALLY Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

essentially

adverb

Definition of essentially

as in basically

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 essentially The source made sure to slip in a comment probably meant to assuage Stewart, even as Meghan essentially accused her of making things up. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 After an extended ramp-up period of individual positional drills and special teams work, Harbaugh essentially puts his team through 90 minutes of live, 11-on-11 football. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Everyone has what are called mismatch-repair genes, which are essentially spellcheckers to help fix DNA mistakes that can occur when our cells multiply. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 The most famous of these is pickleball elbow, which Wu describes as essentially the same condition as tennis elbow. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for essentially

Recent Examples of Synonyms for essentially

Adverb

As the villains, Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan are trapped in Z-movie outfits and motivations — Foxx’s Max Diillon is a Spidey fan transformed by an eel attack, DeHaan’s Harry Osborn is basically a vampire.

— Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Aug. 2026
Chicago, with no games, no teams hosted, basically fewer reasons to expect an outsized swell in interest,still saw bar searches nearly quadruple over that period.

— Leo MacLehose, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of basically

Adverb

Salary transparency is fundamentally reshaping how individuals approach their careers, providing unprecedented access to compensation data.

— Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
More often, meaningful disruption occurs when technologies are combined with new workflows, business models, and institutional changes that fundamentally alter how work is organized.

— Adam Schickling, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026