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 the basement of the historic Aspen Times building sits speakeasy-esque Bad Harriet.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Police said the suspect or suspects tried to get in through the basement window and rear door of the home, but didn't succeed.
—Joe Brandt, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
After the Aphex Twin nod, however, anyone who was into the harder end of hardcore breaks could attest that KAVARI’s original productions, heard in basements from Seoul to Vienna, were as electrifying as her edits.
—James Gui, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
During the encounter, Carroll was stabbed and shot by Banis, whose body was then wrapped in a large plastic storage container, sealed with foam and lime, and buried under the basement floor of the home.
—Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basement
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Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Police said the suspect or suspects tried to get in through the basement window and rear door of the home, but didn't succeed.
—Joe Brandt, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
After the Aphex Twin nod, however, anyone who was into the harder end of hardcore breaks could attest that KAVARI’s original productions, heard in basements from Seoul to Vienna, were as electrifying as her edits.
—James Gui, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
During the encounter, Carroll was stabbed and shot by Banis, whose body was then wrapped in a large plastic storage container, sealed with foam and lime, and buried under the basement floor of the home.
—Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basement
Cite this Entry
“Basement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basement. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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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