1
as in substances
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
the belief that power ultimately rests with the people is the very essence of democracy
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2
as in roots
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
presented the essence of weeks of testimony in a 20-minute appeal to the jury
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of essences
Many imitation almond extracts or essences rely on synthetic benzaldehyde for flavor, which can create saccharine notes that overpower delicate desserts like custards, sponges, or pastry creams.
—
Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Store shelves are packed with serums, toners, essences and exfoliants — all promising transformative results.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
The in-store assortment includes hair essences and hydrating mists from Narka; PDRN and exosome scalp serums from Lilyeve, plus other offerings from La’dor, Healing Bird, Refilled and Growus, which are all priced under $40 and focus on innovative formats and ingredients.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 2026
For those whose skin leans on the drier side, year-round, hydration flooding with essences, toners, and ampoules maximizes hydration without adding unwanted heaviness.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
Korean scalp treatments often come in lightweight, fast-absorbing liquids, essences, or refreshing tonics designed to be massaged directly into the scalp without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026
The spa uses oils and essences from the hotel's medicinal garden, while the treatment rooms are set within the former convent's nuns' cells.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Costco and Walmart have also expanded their assortments, adding essences, serums and sheet masks as demand accelerates.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 27 Nov. 2025
The songs pack a wide range of elements into a single track, starting with rock, pop, soul, funk, dub, club music, and rap, plus various other essences, from singer-songwriter-like qualities to music originating from Japan’s internet like Vocaloid.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Store shelves are packed with serums, toners, essences and exfoliants — all promising transformative results.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
The in-store assortment includes hair essences and hydrating mists from Narka; PDRN and exosome scalp serums from Lilyeve, plus other offerings from La’dor, Healing Bird, Refilled and Growus, which are all priced under $40 and focus on innovative formats and ingredients.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 2026
For those whose skin leans on the drier side, year-round, hydration flooding with essences, toners, and ampoules maximizes hydration without adding unwanted heaviness.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
Korean scalp treatments often come in lightweight, fast-absorbing liquids, essences, or refreshing tonics designed to be massaged directly into the scalp without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Feb. 2026
The spa uses oils and essences from the hotel's medicinal garden, while the treatment rooms are set within the former convent's nuns' cells.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Costco and Walmart have also expanded their assortments, adding essences, serums and sheet masks as demand accelerates.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 27 Nov. 2025
The songs pack a wide range of elements into a single track, starting with rock, pop, soul, funk, dub, club music, and rap, plus various other essences, from singer-songwriter-like qualities to music originating from Japan’s internet like Vocaloid.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for essences
Noun
-
Police say Tong allegedly had multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The 31-year-old man was charged Wednesday with malicious destruction of property and possessing substances to operate a meth lab.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As a city that is always negotiating with modernity, the tradition of jol khabar remains a comforting anchor, binding generations to their cultural roots and evoking nostalgia.—
Madhushree Basu Roy,
Saveur,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The ancient technique used by Indigenous farmers helps direct rainfall to their roots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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These observations suggest that small, mysterious moons with surprisingly different natures are the source of the particles that make up the two outermost rings, and that there are probably even more undiscovered moons to add to the 29 already known around Uranus.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Last month, a Los Angeles jury found social media giants Meta and Google failed to warn children about the addictive natures of their platforms.—
Drew Aunkst,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And the birds are chirping their hearts out.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
With the winter behind us in the far rearview mirror, spring is consuming our senses and filling our hearts with blossoms and blooms.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As, too, are road signs, which serve as warm reminders of important people and help soothe souls in mind-numbing traffic.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Our hearts break for the victims even as Michael’s music is fused to our souls.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In more validation of Amazon’s chip strategy, Meta said Friday its agreed to deploy at least tens of millions of Graviton cores.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The company also said Graviton5 carries a cache five times larger than the prior version, helping cut delays in communication between cores by up to 33 percent.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Also known as wheat kernels, wheat berries are encased in husks zipped along the tops of stalks and removed in a process known as threshing.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The kernels are so juicy and just burst in your mouth.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Reese got the best of her 6-foot-7 former teammate early, as Cardoso (three points, four rebounds) fouled her twice on shots down low in the first quarter.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Each scored 45 points and played more than 40 minutes.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Essences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essences. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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