basically
Americanadverb
-
in a way that involves or affects the fundamental character or condition.
The building needs a few repairs, but is basically sound.
-
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
-
in a fundamental or elementary manner; essentially
strident and basically unpleasant
-
(sentence modifier) in essence; in summary; put simply
basically we had underestimated mother nature
Other Word Forms
- quasi-basically adverb
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.
“I’ve basically modeled my whole look and style after you,” Carpenter gushes when she and Piggy finally meet in the recent special.
From Salon
Despite a deal with Charlton being "basically done", according to the ex-Hammers forward, he was soon persuaded to make the switch.
From BBC
When their unbalanced lineup of basically three similar point guards have an off night, like against the Celtics, they’re lost.
From Los Angeles Times
And then you come out to warm up and you think, 'we're basically playing a home fixture'.
From BBC
The S&P 500 is up less than 1% year to date through Thursday’s close and has basically gone nowhere since October, a “near-unprecedented holding pattern,” notes Mark Hackett, Chief Markets Strategist for Nationwide.
From Barron's
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.
