/ ɪˈsenʃəli; NAmE / adverb
when you think about the true, important or basic nature of sb/sth
SYN basically , fundamentally :
There are three essentially different ways of tackling the problem.
The pattern is essentially the same in all cases.
Essentially, what we are suggesting is that the firm needs to change.
He was, essentially, a teacher, not a manager.
The article was essentially concerned with her relationship with her parents (= it dealt with other things, but this was the most important) .