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Saying essentially is a more sophisticated way of saying basically. amirite?

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They're similar, but not quite the same meaning - for me at least. "Essentially" is distilling an idea to only its important parts. "Basically" is reforming an idea in more simple terms. Those can be the same thing, but aren't always.

Zakabogs avatar Zakabog Yeah You Are +3Reply

People say 'utilize' instead of 'use' when they wanna sound smart

dogegobrrts avatar dogegobrrt Yeah You Are +3Reply

I say effectively now

Till ppl start over using it

well yeah, but actually yes

Leic0408s avatar Leic0408 Yeah You Are +2Reply

Not quite, but essentially, yeah.

Larny2019s avatar Larny2019 Yeah You Are +1Reply

"Basically ", "technically", "utilize", and "mute[sic] point" are all signs that the speaker is attempting to sound intelligent.

@Ganja420Preneur "Basically ", "technically", "utilize", and "mute[sic] point" are all signs that the speaker is attempting to sound...

The first three all have useful differences from simpler counterparts, the fourth is just a misspelling and thus irrelevant to your central point.

  • Basically - In basic terms, i.e. simplified to be understood even if it misses important higher-level context
  • Essentially - In important terms, i.e. distilled to only what's most useful in communicating a larger point
  • Technically - In strictly factual terms, even in situations where the facts aren't useful to the larger point
  • Utilize - A more specific definition than its simpler counterpart ("use"), with connotations more centered around the application of a thing vs the consumption of a thing

Such an essential bitch

Yeah, I totally agree with you

Saying "essentially" just adds a touch of refinement to the sentence compared to using "basically".

fun with words, everybody

88080808088s avatar 88080808088 Yeah You Are 0Reply

I mean, basically, they're essentially the same thing

I don't know if I can properly explain the difference but I use these two words for specific contexts. They have... different energy? I don't know exactly what it is. I think I use "basically" more often when describing something, and "essentially" more often when giving it as a response to someone. So if I'm saying "it's basically like Minecraft..." I'll do that, but if someone says "So it's like Minecraft?" I respond with "Essentially."

I also think when using it to describe something I also tend to use it less to say that I am simplifying my words, and more to say that the concept itself boils down to something really simple.

So with basically it's "Well, basically, it's like Minecraft!" to describe something that isn't actually that much like it, but I am simplifying it deeply to explain it.
Versus "Well, it's essentially Minecraft." to say that, at its core, it is pretty much JUST Minecraft.

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