basically

American  

[bey-sik-lee] / ˈbeɪ sɪk li /

adverb

1. in a way that involves or affects the fundamental character or condition.

   The building needs a few repairs, but is basically sound.

2. 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.”

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basically British  

/ ˈbeɪsɪklɪ /

adverb

1. in a fundamental or elementary manner; essentially

   strident and basically unpleasant

2. (sentence modifier) in essence; in summary; put simply

   basically we had underestimated mother nature

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-basically adverb

Etymology

Origin of basically

First recorded in 1900–05; basic + -ally

Example Sentences

“That’s basically rewinding 10 years of demand growth.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

“They were basically throwing stuff at the wall and trying to find something that sticks,” said Nóra Schultz, a Hungarian political analyst.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

"All the wires are basically white, there are too many to colour code, so therefore each wire has a unique alpha-numeric identity code printed on it," Dr Dickinson added.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

So for the special, again, I don’t do this intentionally, but basically I live life, I try to pay attention.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

I basically run all the way to Eddie’s house to make up for lost time, the investigator’s business card tucked safely in my pocket.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• essentially
• mostly