basically
Americanadverb
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in a way that involves or affects the fundamental character or condition.
The building needs a few repairs, but is basically sound.
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as a recap of the main point or idea; if put simply or briefly.
Basically, her advice boils down to “Eat a sensible, balanced diet, and relax.”
adverb
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in a fundamental or elementary manner; essentially
strident and basically unpleasant
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(sentence modifier) in essence; in summary; put simply
basically we had underestimated mother nature
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of basically
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The Russian economy is a two-tier economy -- the state dominated defence industry, doing pretty well, and basically everything else," London-based expert on the Russian economy Alexander Kolyandr told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026
A founder may set up a trust, for the benefit of someone else, and fund it early with stock that’s worth basically nothing when transferred.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Rather than every country having something to play for on matchday three, nine were basically fulfilling a fixture - four guaranteed to top the group, and five eliminated.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
So, basically, just take a deep breath and be Alex Call.’
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2026
In fact, the essence of noise, "white noise," is basically every pitch at once, so that no particular pitch is heard.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
