as in basically
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Recent Examples of essentially
In a statement to CNN Sports, Tennis Kenya said that Abdelkader had been admitted to the tournament as a wild card – essentially a tournament invitation that bypasses the need to qualify for the main draw of a tournament or earn a place through the rankings system.
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Don Riddell, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
That small but revealing moment essentially becomes the album’s thesis.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
This is essentially bad cheese etiquette, as you are meant to enjoy the full range of the Brie's flavor, from the center to rind.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
At issue in Williams’ case was whether his 50-year-to-life sentence was essentially equal to life without parole.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Don Riddell, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
That small but revealing moment essentially becomes the album’s thesis.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
This is essentially bad cheese etiquette, as you are meant to enjoy the full range of the Brie's flavor, from the center to rind.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
At issue in Williams’ case was whether his 50-year-to-life sentence was essentially equal to life without parole.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essentially
Adverb
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Andy the Door Bum ended up basically playing a performance after almost all of those screenings.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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Some look like squiggles, zigzaggy lightning bolts or sun rays, but the wonder, marveled Hammel-Sawyer, is how the makers were able to do the mental math to keep the patterns even and consistent, even for baskets that were basically everyday tools.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Rock, Paper, Scissors is fundamentally a children’s game.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
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While the state determines the assessment rate, property taxes are fundamentally a local concern.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essentially. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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