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 Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens under the cover of darkness, essentially leaving the entirety of the franchise in the city.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The 50-footer is essentially a cross between an electric yacht and an upscale condo, allowing owners to live anywhere on the water in the lap of luxury.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2026
Given a 2% inflation rate, the president is essentially asking for negative real rates.
—Steve Liesman, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The 50-footer is essentially a cross between an electric yacht and an upscale condo, allowing owners to live anywhere on the water in the lap of luxury.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2026
Given a 2% inflation rate, the president is essentially asking for negative real rates.
—Steve Liesman, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 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 28 Jan. 2026.
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