Showing synonyms for per se

per se

[pur sey, see, per] / pɜr ˈseɪ, ˈsi, pər /

ADVERB

essentially

Synonyms

WEAK

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

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.

The concept of loading up on protein isn’t new per se — it first took off in the late twentieth century when diet and fitness cultures had both gone mainstream.

From Salon • May 7, 2026

That some things are tasteless not because they’re uncool, per se, but because they are, as Hayao Miyazaki once said, “an insult to life itself.”

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

De Zylva argues this misunderstands the point: "The purpose of the green belt isn't to be green per se, it is to be a buffer to prevent sprawl."

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

If one party isn’t as aware of what’s going on as the other party, this isn’t an objectively “right” or “wrong” vignette, per se.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The plant that poisoned him wasn’t toxic, per se; McCandless simply had the misfortune to eat moldy seeds.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer