the gist

noun

: the general or basic meaning of something said or written : the main points

—usually + of

The gist of her argument was that the law was unfair.

I didn't read the whole article, but I got the gist of it.

Examples of the gist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here’s the gist of the problem: Less than 1% of U.S. farmland is certified organic. —Kelly Damewood, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025

There are four long chapters with extensive footnotes on the subject in this immense book, but here’s the gist. —Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

But here’s the gist of the message: Trying to draw the opponent offsides never works. —Sam McDowell 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025

When things go wrong, the gist is, someone is going to get blamed. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 19 Oct. 2025