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
That’s the gist of the first trailer for the new A24 horror film Backrooms by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons in his feature directorial debut.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
There are some relatively tricky rules around selling these shares, but the gist is, these plans allow employees to buy stock at a discount to the actual share price.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, much of the gist of the mass action will draw from the words of JAMS mediators and ex-judges.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Usually the algorithm on social media gets the gist.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 Mar. 2026
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Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
There are some relatively tricky rules around selling these shares, but the gist is, these plans allow employees to buy stock at a discount to the actual share price.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, much of the gist of the mass action will draw from the words of JAMS mediators and ex-judges.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Usually the algorithm on social media gets the gist.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the gist
Cite this Entry
“The gist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20gist. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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