CEFR B1

essence

noun

Meaning

The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character.

Examples

The essence of his argument was that the government was not doing enough.
She was the very essence of grace and beauty.

Synonyms: core, heart, gist, quintessence

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

essence (B1)

noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɛsəns/

Definition

The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character.

Examples

The essence of his argument was that the government was not doing enough.
She was the very essence of grace and beauty.
We need to get to the essence of the problem.

How to Use essence

essence of (prepositional phrase): The fundamental nature or quality of something. — "The essence of her art is its simplicity."
in essence (idiom): Basically; fundamentally. — "In essence, the two plans are the same."

Synonyms of essence

Words with a similar meaning to essence:

Antonyms of essence

Words with the opposite meaning to essence:

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary