essentially
Americanadverb
adverb
Other Word Forms
Explanation
Notice the tie between essentially and the word "essence," referring to the very core of something. As an adverb, then, essentially refers to something's nature. In spite of your faults, you're essentially a good person. The word essentia came from the Lower Latin, referring to something's inherent qualities. If you're convinced that there's not much difference between two things, you might say that they are essentially the same. Nietzsche once made the essentially sexist comment, "Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.”
Vocabulary lists containing essentially
Amari and the Night Brothers
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unlike grilled Caesar salad, Lawson’s riff on a classic is essentially baked lettuce.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
Free cash flow is essentially the money companies have left over after expenses and making big-ticket investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In Buddhism, bodhicitta is, essentially, a desire to attain enlightenment in order to free all beings from suffering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Formally known as 530A accounts, Trump accounts are essentially individual retirement accounts for children.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The verdict of history, or at least the reigning judgment of most historians, is that the story is essentially true.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
