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.
But already he's been stunned by one big thing - and it's not at all related to football - the sheer size of basically everything in the States.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
That’s basically the idea behind the Floating Fitness class at the Annenberg Community Beach House.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026
I think people are basically good, and I think they don’t want the world to end, and they don’t have some empathy deficit, as you put it.
From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026
"I want to shield children basically from what happened with us; I don't want anyone to be affected like us."
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
It’s basically a re-creation of my Flash, but on a stage.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
