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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Her manifestation came true in the form of 14 songs created with her music director Blue May.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
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His manifestations for his sisters came to fruition.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But perhaps its essence is best told by its most famous resident.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
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This is the essence of the palpable belief in the vampire.—
Robert Eggers,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cottage, country, boho, or Victorian, whatever your style, this quilt is a classic.—
Sheri Kaz,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
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Vintage photos decorate the walls and the extensive menu covers breakfast, lunch and dinner classics, from eggs Benedict and patty melts to floats and ice cream sundaes.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 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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Social media is shaping beauty ideals that are unrealistic and often impossible to reach, leaving many girls feeling like their real faces aren’t good enough.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
21 Oct. 2025
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The attack aimed to preserve the Romantic ideal of childhood innocence, not to deny the boy’s gift.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That includes the number of incarnations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with a new version coming from director Guillermo del Toro.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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Designing The Creature was an intricate process with various stages of its design incarnation on display.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Whatever is decided, some kind of change in Madrid’s club model is coming, and has been in preparation for some time.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Beyond medical uses The team also equipped the robot with a tiny camera, enabling it to inspect hard-to-reach spots inside the jet engine model.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Trust comes not from claiming perfection but from demonstrating integrity.—
Prof. Dr. med. Mazda Farshad,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Mental health experts suggest that hands-on hobbies like knitting, puzzle-making, and baking foster mindfulness and reduce anxiety by activating our senses, grounding us in the moment, and shifting focus from perfection to process.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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