basically

[ bey-sik-lee ]

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.”

basically

/ 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

Other Words From

• qua·si-ba·si·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of basically¹

First recorded in 1900–05; basic + -ally

Example Sentences

You were basically the guy to do every dictator or crazy character, from Gaddafi and Ahmadinejad to Bin Laden.

From The Daily Beast

“They basically said thanks a lot and shook our hands and took off,” Stammberger said.

From The Daily Beast

“Basically, I was contacted and asked if an appeal could be opened on my behalf,” she told me from her home in Providence.

From The Daily Beast

Mistletoe is basically a vampire—but one of those an anti-hero type vampires.

From The Daily Beast

“[It was basically] a room with no view,” as R metaphorically put it.

From The Daily Beast

So now, his own band, basically strange to this planet, might well go unnoticed by the once dominant race of Astra.

From Project Gutenberg

To get it slow enough to vanish into the noise, you'd have to basically shut down the network, which isn't an option.

From Project Gutenberg

The two species are basically similar in their habits and ecology but many minor differences are indicated.

From Project Gutenberg

There is something basically wrong with the type of civilizations which Man builds and which ceaselessly devour one another.

From Project Gutenberg

So ideologies arose to try to solve the dilemma of a basically static society, and they fought wars.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• essentially
• mostly