1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example
the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
Helen of Troy was supposedly the quintessential beauty of the ancient world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Snapped shopping at the Hermès store on Bond Street, the famous mom-ager opted for soft suede shoes that read quintessential fall.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Noun
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
Adjective
After the pair almost miss each other in a quintessential rom-com elevator-chase scene, the pair find each other standing outside of Los Angeles' Urban Lights, where Noah makes a romantic declaration to Joanne.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Snapped shopping at the Hermès store on Bond Street, the famous mom-ager opted for soft suede shoes that read quintessential fall.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
Noun
-
This cul-de-sac at the end of civilization feels like a physical manifestation of the loneliness Carol radiates even before the cataclysmic incident.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Given the disease’s wide range of trajectories and manifestations—from mild and manageable to severely disabling—some now regard it as a group of diseases, rather than a single one.—
Lucinda Rosenfeld,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To conserve, after all, is the essence of conservatism.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This is the essence of creator economy.—
Astha Bhardwaj,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For her part, Bieber delivered a rock-n-roll roll take on classic LBD.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In a series of wedding photos shared, the newlyweds can be seen embracing in their wedding attire, with Smith wearing a strapless satin gown and Sutherland sporting a classic black suit.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Binet’s Porte was duly constructed late the following year and marked a kind of apotheosis of natural design incorporated within architecture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The engine and chassis trace their roots back to the mid-1990s, steadily refined year after year until this apotheosis.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Both were exemplary but had to be substituted due to injury.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Now, he’s being remembered as an exemplary leader.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The ideal of the Achillean warrior lives on as a touchstone for anyone attempting to understand or reinvent military culture.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Like Moore, many Philadelphians had stayed true to Garvey’s ideals even after the American government deported him in 1927.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Art directors Jason Kirschner and Kait Taylor took advantage of that and then some, designing a period-perfect art deco set completely grayscaled.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Cozy up in the Treasure & Bond Alpaca & Wool Rib Sweater, 60 percent off, and a soft, stylish layer that’s perfect for fall.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The first episode, which Andy directed, features three special effects-heavy sequences of monstrous incarnations attacking children.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Apparently the actress kept a photo of David Bowie on her at all times and had hired an early incarnation of the Allman Brothers Band to play a party at her house.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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