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
When Hurricane Maria–a category four monster storm–struck the island in 2017, killing some 3,000 people, the Trump Administration’s response was to essentially turn its back on the U.S. territory.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Schoolboys in Disgrace is essentially an origin story about Mr. Flash, the villain of the Preservation albums, as a rebellious kid in a strict and unforgiving school.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 Sep. 2024
When the mower blades are dull, the lawn mower is forced to work harder to essentially break through every bit of grass, putting more stress on the engine.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2024
The win caps an outstanding 2024 season for the Space Cowboys, who essentially swept through the Pacific Coast League (PCL) regular season and playoffs before taking championship bout convincingly.
—Timothy Malcolm, Chron, 29 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for essentially 
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Schoolboys in Disgrace is essentially an origin story about Mr. Flash, the villain of the Preservation albums, as a rebellious kid in a strict and unforgiving school.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 Sep. 2024
When the mower blades are dull, the lawn mower is forced to work harder to essentially break through every bit of grass, putting more stress on the engine.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2024
The win caps an outstanding 2024 season for the Space Cowboys, who essentially swept through the Pacific Coast League (PCL) regular season and playoffs before taking championship bout convincingly.
—Timothy Malcolm, Chron, 29 Sep. 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 6 Oct. 2024.
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