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 benchmark yield is now essentially unchanged from Election Day.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2025
Teams will also have to balance their contract offers with the right timing—essentially striking while the iron is hot to avoid missing out on targets.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The idea that Paramount Global would essentially pay off Trump to try to get in his good graces — and get a merger through — has rattled the news division.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2025
In February, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency essentially shut down the federal research agency that oversees NCES and other programs that track the progress of America's students, canceling almost $900 million in ongoing research contracts.
—Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2025
Teams will also have to balance their contract offers with the right timing—essentially striking while the iron is hot to avoid missing out on targets.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The idea that Paramount Global would essentially pay off Trump to try to get in his good graces — and get a merger through — has rattled the news division.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2025
In February, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency essentially shut down the federal research agency that oversees NCES and other programs that track the progress of America's students, canceling almost $900 million in ongoing research contracts.
—Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for essentially
Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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