as in basically
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Recent Examples of essentially
Mafe essentially replaces Trey Hendrickson while Allen brings the hope of tacking a few more years on a career that’s seen his Pro Bowl numbers decline the last two seasons.
—
Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Tsao said that essentially, the act aims to ensure people are not afraid to call 911.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Leslie’s invented holiday, Galentine’s Day, became, essentially, real, with merch and celebrations going mainstream.
—Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
The remaining $2 million will essentially keep open the city’s Cultural Affairs Department, whose staff oversee the public art program and grant-making process.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Tsao said that essentially, the act aims to ensure people are not afraid to call 911.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Leslie’s invented holiday, Galentine’s Day, became, essentially, real, with merch and celebrations going mainstream.
—Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
The remaining $2 million will essentially keep open the city’s Cultural Affairs Department, whose staff oversee the public art program and grant-making process.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essentially
Adverb
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That last bit is arguably the most frustrating, given that Saturday nights are basically the most popular time to go for a cruise.—
Caleb Jacobs,
The Drive,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (basically, the mortgage police) states that shopping at least three mortgage lenders can save borrowers an average $100 a month in mortgage interest or more than $3,000 in upfront fees.—
Jeff Lazerson,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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While state lawmakers have acknowledged this bottleneck by passing a series of workarounds and exemptions, the California Environmental Quality Act remains fundamentally misaligned with the goals of increasing housing supply and leaves the door open to lawsuits against new projects.—
Eliza Terziev,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
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Last week, Spanberger signed legislation entering Virginia into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), an initiative that aims to fundamentally change the way the United States elects presidents without amending the Constitution.—
Jason Willick,
Washington Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essentially. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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