1
: the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level
2
: the ground floor facade or interior in Renaissance architecture
3
: the lowest or fundamental part of something
specifically
: the rocks underlying stratified rocks
4
chiefly New England
: a toilet or washroom especially in a school
5
a
: a low state, rank, or condition
With their stock in the basement and red ink all over their balance sheet, many struggling [companies] are finding that fund-raising has become an exceedingly difficult proposition.—
Brad Stone
Brad Stone
b
: the lowest place in the standings : cellar sense 2
Last year, the Phillies finished in the basement of the NL East with 68 wins, tied with the Cubs for the fewest wins in the league.—Boston Herald
Boston HeraldExamples of basement in a Sentence
we store our bicycles in the basement during the winter
the basement of the outdoor fountain needs a lot of restoration work
Recent Examples on the Web
In nearby Germantown, residents ducked into a church basement under low-hanging fluorescent lights.
—Sarah Henry, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
The current 911 dispatch center shares the basement of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office with the Hamilton County Emergency Operations Center.
—John Tuohy, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2025
Avoid entering basements or rooms where electrical outlets or cords are submerged in water.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Don't go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for basement
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Sarah Henry, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
The current 911 dispatch center shares the basement of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office with the Hamilton County Emergency Operations Center.
—John Tuohy, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2025
Avoid entering basements or rooms where electrical outlets or cords are submerged in water.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Don't go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for basement
Cite this Entry
“Basement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basement. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
basement
noun
base·ment
ˈbās-mənt 
: the part of a building that is entirely or partly below ground level
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