1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example
the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
a selfless desire to help others is the quintessence of the virtue of charity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quintessence
That’s partly because punk, with its assaultive immediacy and defiant not-niceness, now seems like the quintessence of the pre-digital world.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 July 2022
To some, quintessence was a subtle substance found in some degree in each of the other four elements.
—Meg Neal, Popular Mechanics, 10 Feb. 2021
To test whether dark energy is caused by quintessence or the cosmological constant, scientists must determine whether the strength of dark energy has changed over time.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.
—Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 July 2022
To some, quintessence was a subtle substance found in some degree in each of the other four elements.
—Meg Neal, Popular Mechanics, 10 Feb. 2021
To test whether dark energy is caused by quintessence or the cosmological constant, scientists must determine whether the strength of dark energy has changed over time.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.
—Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
Noun
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This entry further defines community radio and then discusses its origins and its manifestations throughout the world.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
In Cavarocchi’s practice, womanhood is seen as a manifestation of nature, with landscapes playing a role in healing trauma and reflecting cyclical rhythms of regeneration.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That is at the essence of why the Timberwolves are on the verge of knocking the Nuggets in the first round for the first time since 2022.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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In essence, the aircraft gives the Chinese navy the capability to fight through defending space from a carrier.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His breakdown moment with Lane’s Willy, whose explosive temper is finally subdued by his son’s desperate need to be seen, draws out all the tragic heartbreak of a classic that has been liberated from the customary domestic trappings only to be made more intimate.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Who could forget that instant classic?—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After portraying Alabaster, down to his pearly-white surname, as the apotheosis of white male villainy, Cash deflates him by arguing, essentially, #NotAllMen.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
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For this Welsh immigrant family rose from nothing to produce an American icon who mastered a distinctly American art form — the ultimate apotheosis of the American Dream — and who is, ironically, the most miserable of them all.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Catholic tradition has long sought to reform the world according to its ideals, even if that means working with people who have a very different understanding of the good.—
Elias Wachtel,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
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But their existence challenges the American ideal that suburban single-family houses are meant for homeowners, and their growth is now in jeopardy.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That point has echoed through every incarnation of The Rocky Horror Show since.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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That incarnation lasted through two world wars but was gone by 1963.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some models feature replaceable blades, like the Milk Street Kitchen Precision peeler, which retails for $30, but by peeler standards that’s high.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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For four of these systems, the observations were sensitive enough to allow the astronomers to measure the masses of the component stars from first principles, independent of any guidance from theoretical models.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In a moment when AI and digital technology allows for on-demand perfection, there’s a creeping thrill to the possibility of flaws and dissonance.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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These days this pursuit of perfection takes the form of an arms race toward maximum hyperreal clarity, a mode of vision beyond the capabilities of the naked eye.—
Dennis Lim,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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