First recorded in 1925–30
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Arthur Brisbane, journalism's Basic English eminence, then on the New York World, put Harriet to work as a columnist.
From Time Magazine Archive
With a staff of assistants, he started a Basic English radio program for Latin America, produced a batch of Basic texts for Spaniards and Portuguese, helped Walt Disney make Basic educational shorts for the Army.
From Time Magazine Archive
No pidgin English, Basic can be used to express ideas, as Ogden proves by writing its 100-page system in Basic English.
From Time Magazine Archive
Recently Basic English has impressed some linguists with its aptness for this role.
From Time Magazine Archive
You say the letter accompanying the first deposit, the one in Basic English, was apparently taken away by Kettle-Belly Sam Bonney.
From Lone Star Planet by Piper, H. Beam
In terms of his adaptation, Estevao already speaks basic English, has his family around him in London and has begun driving to and from training.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2025
He speaks basic English and has considered going to Canada, but friends told him it’s difficult as well to obtain asylum there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2025
The training included technical language training, as the usual basic English level was insufficient, he said.
From Reuters ● Aug. 19, 2023
According to pretty basic English usage, this isn’t hard: When an innocent person can’t contest the “legality” of their illegal sentence, they face a process that is “inadequate or ineffective.”
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2023
NM: Word list of basic English, updating of all tables & census material. © 12Sep44; A182825.
From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1971 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office
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.
