fundamentally
Americanadverb
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in a fundamental and essential way; centrally and foundationally.
a nine-point plan that will fundamentally transform our system of eldercare.
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as regards the basic nature, character, or truth of something; basically and often emphatically.
Fundamentally, they just want their independence.
adverb
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in a way that affects the basis or essentials; utterly
the terms of engagement have been fundamentally altered
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(sentence modifier) in essence; at heart
fundamentally, we want our lives to be safe
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fundamentally
First recorded in 1600–20; fundamental ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
The word fundamentally isn’t fun, exactly, but it does describe things that are true through and through. Vegetarians and meat eaters often have fundamentally different ideas about what makes a healthy meal. Anything fundamental has to do with the foundation or bare bones of something. Similarly, anything described fundamentally is getting down to the essence. Lying is fundamentally dishonest. If something is fundamentally wrong, don’t do it! If you and your dad have fundamentally different opinions about restaurants, it’s better to make dinner at home. This word means about the same as basically or essentially. If something is fundamentally true, it's true in a deep sense.
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.
Fundamentally most conspiracy theories are highly implausible and just don’t make sense.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Fundamentally, the study’s finding traces to the statistical tendency for volatility to be lower as the length of your observation period increases.
From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026
Fundamentally, my client wants not authenticity but innocence, the ability to get away with something.
From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026
"Fundamentally we need to rethink how we look at students as a whole."
From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026
Fundamentally, though, the word ‘scientist’ was merely a new and useful word for a type of person who had long been in existence.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
