1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example
the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building
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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
Noun
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Consciously choosing the design of this polish, applying it calmly, and visualizing your wishes for the new year transforms the manicure into an act of self-care and manifestation.—
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In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Theophany, which the holiday is often called in Eastern countries, celebrates the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity in addition to his baptism, according to The Catholic Witness.—
Noun
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In this poetry collection, Vilariño strips poetry to its essence—distilling love, loss, and the inexorable passage of time into spare yet searing verses.—
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Stripped to their symbolic essence, the erotics of Frankenstein are about the body as meat, electrified by carnal pleasure and unencumbered by the soul.—
Noun
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But, occasionally even the classics can use a little extra flavor to spice up a cold weeknight.—
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Now, Croft and Manheim step under the locks previously worn by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, who respectively voiced the parts in the original movie, now regarded as a modern classic and part of Disney Animation’s second renaissance.—
Noun
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The mic-drop sequence here, in which a raincoat mafia descends upon a red-tinged rave and a pair of bloodthirsty lovers, is the apotheosis of director Bi’s career, and one of the most dazzling movie moments of the year.—
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The demonization of otherness that has become such a staple of the contemporary political landscape has reached its apotheosis, with animals — formerly an integral and respected part of Oz society — now treated as inferior beings, requiring special permits to travel.—
Noun
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Made of untreated cedar, the house has a 3-inch entrance hole and interior dimensions ideal for these larger birds.—
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The iCVD method supports scalable, continuous roll-to-roll processing, ideal for commercial-scale output.—
Noun
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So the Huskies in 2026 could be an East Coast incarnation of the Rockets.—
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Press clippings from the earlier incarnation of what was United Press International Wire Service in 1983 describe as many as 10,000 cars crowding the surrounding roads and intersections with onlookers eager to gander at the amazing displays and décor.—
Noun
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If similar inflow patterns are found in other inactive galaxies, red geysers could become a key model for understanding how galaxies across the universe grow old, and quietly stay that way.—
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That extraordinary footage, along with video shot by bystanders and a 3D model created by CNN of the confrontation, shows Good and her wife challenging ICE officers – but also raises new questions about Ross’s tactics and decision to use deadly force.—
Noun
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And perfection was never my thing.—
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California has never been about perfection.—
Cite this Entry
“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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