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
Since 1995, the mayor has elected all seven board members and has held essentially complete firing power over sitting members.
—Alysa Guffey, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024
His bluster has become, essentially, background noise to our daily lives.
—Jason Zengerle, New York Times, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for essentially 
Alysa Guffey, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024
His bluster has become, essentially, background noise to our daily lives.
—Jason Zengerle, New York Times, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for essentially
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essentially.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Essentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essentially. Accessed 30 May. 2024.
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