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
In addition, 11 other states have adopted California’s zero-emission regulation, meaning the rule would essentially be in effect for about 133 million people, or nearly 40% of the country’s population.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
One in three sellers in the U.S. has slashed the asking price for their home as the U.S. housing market is essentially stalling this month, according to Mike Simonsen, founder and president of real estate analytics firm Altos.
—Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri, who led the legal challenges against SAVE, argued that President Joe Biden was essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked its sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
The ideas from DeSantis’ office would essentially prohibit any organized signature collection.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for essentially 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
One in three sellers in the U.S. has slashed the asking price for their home as the U.S. housing market is essentially stalling this month, according to Mike Simonsen, founder and president of real estate analytics firm Altos.
—Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri, who led the legal challenges against SAVE, argued that President Joe Biden was essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked its sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
The ideas from DeSantis’ office would essentially prohibit any organized signature collection.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for essentially
Dictionary Entries Near essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share