1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example
the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building
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2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
a selfless desire to help others is the quintessence of the virtue of charity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quintessence
That’s partly because punk, with its assaultive immediacy and defiant not-niceness, now seems like the quintessence of the pre-digital world.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 July 2022
To some, quintessence was a subtle substance found in some degree in each of the other four elements.
—Meg Neal, Popular Mechanics, 10 Feb. 2021
To test whether dark energy is caused by quintessence or the cosmological constant, scientists must determine whether the strength of dark energy has changed over time.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.
—Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 July 2022
To some, quintessence was a subtle substance found in some degree in each of the other four elements.
—Meg Neal, Popular Mechanics, 10 Feb. 2021
To test whether dark energy is caused by quintessence or the cosmological constant, scientists must determine whether the strength of dark energy has changed over time.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.
—Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
Noun
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And, of course, Sundance is a manifestation of that.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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Sabrina Carpenter is manifestation’s best friend.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Bobby Hart, who along with Tommy Boyce, penned and produced some of the Monkees’ greatest hits not only made a vital contribution to the popular success of the Monkees, but even more importantly to the essence, the very spirit of the entire venture.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
14 Sep. 2025
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The result is a collection that maintained the essence of IVY moda’s DNA while boldly stepping into new territory and appealing to a new generation of fashion fans.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Oscilloscope’s roots in New York’s music and film scenes run deep and that quirky green logo has been the opening act for so many of our favorite indie classics of the past decade and a half or so.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Sep. 2025
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Over the decades, the Sundance Film festival morphed from a classics and good-for-you granola film showcase to a vital hub in indie distribution, serving as a gatekeeper and exhibition platform for filmmakers and a farm system for emerging talent heading for Hollywood.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their way to rock-and-roll sublimity, to headbanging apotheosis, is comprehensively barred.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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The apotheosis of Soderbergh’s fascination with close-ups is his 1999 crime thriller The Limey, about Wilson, an English ex-convict who comes to Los Angeles to find out what happened to his missing daughter and, upon finding out that she was murdered, embarks on a revenge mission.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Luxe Leather In buttery-soft leather, the funnel-jacket achieves its platonic ideal.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
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These are not abstract ideals but practical blueprints for building more just, democratic, and equitable societies.—
Mbongiseni Buthelezi,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Harem or balloon pants seen in recent collections are a sophisticated evolution from their original bohemian incarnations, featuring cleaner lines, refined fabrics and streamlined silhouettes.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
13 Sep. 2025
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At the same time, no one in metal was funnier, more in touch with his own bathos, more post–Spinal Tap, in a sense, than Ozzy, especially in his shambling-paterfamilias incarnation on MTV’s reality show The Osbournes.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Built to last, the 2020 model features a new roof design that boasts up to 90 pounds per square foot of snow load.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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The iPhone 17 lineup is headlined by the addition of the iPhone 17 Air, which takes the place of the iPhone Plus model that served as the company's second tier phone.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Victor’s own father is obsessed with legacy and perfection and mistreats his boy, and that cycle continues with Victor and the Creature.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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That could mean the index is vulnerable to a pullback if the tech sector starts to falter — especially at a moment when many investors fear the megacaps are priced for perfection.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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