essentially
adverb
es·sen·tial·ly
i-ˈsen(t)-shə-lē 
-ˈsench-lē
: in essence : fundamentally
—used to identify or stress the basic or essential character or nature of a person or thing or to say that a description is basically true or accurate
He's essentially a good man.
… painting, essentially a two-dimensional art …—
Herbert Read
Herbert ReadThe fact that so many bloggers are essentially anonymous allows them to spew rancor, rumor, lies, and obscenities.—Gil Troy
Gil TroyAphids feed on the sugary phloem of plants. Essentially they steal the product of photosynthesis.—Caleb Rounds
Caleb RoundsExamples of essentially in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Hornets essentially had their full rotation available, missing Tosan Evbuomwan (G League), PJ Hall (G League), Liam McNeeley (G League), Antonio Reeves (G League) and Tidjane Salaun (left calf strain) on Tuesday.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
Combined with 66 high school recruits signed during the same period, the Aggies have essentially turned over the roster while winning 19 of 26 games.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba, essentially blocking shipments.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Then after a review, Kastelic’s major was downgraded to a two-minute minor, essentially wiping out what would have been Devils power play.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
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Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
Combined with 66 high school recruits signed during the same period, the Aggies have essentially turned over the roster while winning 19 of 26 games.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba, essentially blocking shipments.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Then after a review, Kastelic’s major was downgraded to a two-minute minor, essentially wiping out what would have been Devils power play.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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