fundamentally

adverb

fun·​da·​men·​tal·​ly ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

: with regard to what is basic, essential, or fundamental : at a fundamental level

a fundamentally honest person

a fundamentally new/different approach

Most theories of the internal structure of Venus begin with the assumption that the planet is fundamentally similar to the earth …

—Andrew and Louise Young

: in a basic or fundamental manner

This "disposable" work force is the most important trend in business today, and it is fundamentally changing the relationship between Americans and their jobs.

—Janice Castro

Examples of fundamentally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Do certain members need to divest if their goals are fundamentally misaligned? —Belinda G. Schwartz, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026

This understanding appears to stem from an ancient source, where body and matter are not merely symbolically alike, but are fundamentally continuous. —Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026

But the study provides a tantalizing glimpse of a fundamentally different, far-reaching way of preventing disease. —Veronique Greenwood, Time, 6 Mar. 2026

Durbin is athletic, fundamentally sound and has sneaky good range. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fundamentally

• accidentally
• detrimentally
• governmentally
• incidentally
• incrementally
• instrumentally
• sentimentally
• temperamentally
• coincidentally
• environmentally
• experimentally
• mentally