essentiallyadverb
uk/ɪˈsen.ʃəl.i/us/ɪˈsen.ʃəl.i/B2 relating to the most important characteristics or ideas of something:
It's essentially a dictionary but it differs in one or two respects.
What he's saying is essentially true.
More examples
- The book is essentially an exhortation to religious tolerance.
- Although she made intermittent movie appearances, she was essentially a stage actress.
- Alison's story is a reminder of how vulnerable women can be in what is still essentially a man's world.
- Their new album is essentially a collection of their greatest hits.
- They argue from time to time like any other couple but their relationship is essentially a happy one.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Essential or necessary
- a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do idiom
- basically
- basis
- be a question of doing sth idiom
- business-critical
- dependence
- imply
- incumbent
- indispensable
- inherent
- integral
- interdependent
- needed
- needful
- occasion
- on a need-to-know basis idiom
- owe
- owe it to yourself idiom
- underlying
- warrant
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