Definitions

in essence

Part of Speech:

All (8) Adjective (1) Adverb (7)

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practically adj.
at heart adv.
basically adv.
essentially adv.
nearly adv.
per se adv.
substantially adv.
virtually adv.

ADJECTIVE

practically

Synonyms

STRONGEST

approximately basically essentially morally nearly virtually

STRONG

much

WEAK

about all but as good as as much as close to for all intents and purposes fundamentally in effect most nigh well-nigh

Antonyms

WEAK

far not close

ADVERB

at heart

Synonyms

WEAK

at bottom basically deep down fundamentally in spite of appearance inside

ADVERB

basically

Synonyms

STRONGEST

essentially mostly

WEAK

at heart at the bottom firstly in substance inherently intrinsically primarily radically

Antonyms

WEAK

additionally extra inessentially

ADVERB

essentially

Synonyms

STRONGEST

actually approximately necessarily originally permanently quite really substantially truly typically virtually

STRONG

fundamentally

WEAK

at heart at the heart of centrally characteristically chiefly determinately factually importantly in effect indispensably inherently intimately intrinsically materially more or less so naturally primarily principally radically significantly vitally

Antonyms

STRONGEST

doubtfully

WEAK

apparently on the surface superficially

ADVERB

nearly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

approximately practically roughly virtually

STRONG

about closely most well-nigh

WEAK

all but approaching as good as circa close but no cigar give or take a little in effect in substance in the ballpark in the neighborhood just about more or less much nearabout not quite pretty near round roundly some somewhere upwards of within a little

ADVERB

per se

Synonyms

WEAK

alone as such by and of itself by definition by its very nature by itself fundamentally in itself independently intrinsically of itself singularly solely virtually

ADVERB

substantially

Synonyms

STRONGEST

considerably essentially extensively heavily largely materially really

WEAK

in fact in reality in substance in the main mainly much

Antonyms

STRONGEST

slightly

WEAK

insignificantly

ADVERB

virtually

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basically essentially nearly practically

WEAK

around as good as effectually for all intents and purposes fundamentally give or take a little guesstimate implicitly in all but name in effect in substance in the ballpark in the neighborhood morally not absolutely not actually something like upwards of

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.

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in essence

“I’ve always associated horror with summertime, actually. Like ‘Friday the 13th,’ ‘Sleepaway Camp’” — in essence, the freedom of summer invaded by fear and death.

From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026

Computer learning will, in essence, turn somewhat retro with classes using alternative options such as laptop carts or computer lab models.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

This week the island's energy minister acknowledged that Cuba has, in essence, run out of fuel oil.

From BBC ● May 16, 2026

Some were, in essence, monumentally scaled abstract sculptures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

“What’s happening, in essence, is that you’re constantly scanning your texts and email because every once in a while you are going to get a good one and you can’t predict when that is. “

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

in essence

Example Sentences

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