meat-and-po·ta·toes
ˈmēt-ən(d)-pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tōz 
1
: of fundamental importance : basic
also
: concerned with or emphasizing the basic aspects of something
2
: unpretentious, simple
a real meat-and-potatoes guy
3
: providing or preferring simple food (such as meat and potatoes)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: the most interesting or fundamental part : meat sense 4
Synonyms
Examples of meat-and-potatoes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023
Often humanities are still considered less valuable than the meat-and-potatoes of basic and clinical sciences.
—Isabella Cueto, STAT, 30 Aug. 2023
There’s a place for what amounts to meat-and-potatoes TV, even in the prestige-conscious streaming world.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 July 2023
In an hour and a quarter, the artist and his backing band, an ever-reliable collective called The Food Stamps, traveled through gospel, bluegrass standards, originals and straight-fire, meat-and-potatoes country music.
—Diana Leyva, USA TODAY, 19 June 2023
And although most songs here don’t stray appreciably far from the Foos’ hearty, meat-and-potatoes rock offerings, a couple of experiments are revelatory.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 26 May 2023
And to Hall’s point, teams on the road seem to play a more meat-and-potatoes game.
—Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023
Netflix courts various audience niches, but this more closely approximates the meat-and-potatoes fare that has found success on more traditional platforms.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2023
Rachael Ray’s ending her longtime talk show after more than a decade, but food content will still be her meat and potatoes.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2023
Nothing fancy, mostly meat and potatoes.
—Marc Myers, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2020
Chef Avgeria Stapaki takes the homey layered dish of eggplant, stewed ground meat and potatoes, and transforms it into a visually stunning showstopper.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
First, the meat and potatoes.
—Evan Romano, Men's Health, 2 Mar. 2022
In the 1970s, a new wave of American cooking began to emerge from the meat and potatoes of the past.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2023
Dinner Dinner is Roose’s heaviest meal of the day, focusing on meat and potatoes.
—Mallory Arnold, Outside Online, 10 Feb. 2023
But the upper level, the hi-hat and the cymbals doing those 16th-notes — the faster patterns — are the connective tissue for the meat and potatoes of kick snare.
—Vulture, 16 Mar. 2022
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Adjective
It’s populated with meat-and-potatoes, blood, sweat and tears working actors who are very respected.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023
Often humanities are still considered less valuable than the meat-and-potatoes of basic and clinical sciences.
—Isabella Cueto, STAT, 30 Aug. 2023
There’s a place for what amounts to meat-and-potatoes TV, even in the prestige-conscious streaming world.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 July 2023
In an hour and a quarter, the artist and his backing band, an ever-reliable collective called The Food Stamps, traveled through gospel, bluegrass standards, originals and straight-fire, meat-and-potatoes country music.
—Diana Leyva, USA TODAY, 19 June 2023
And although most songs here don’t stray appreciably far from the Foos’ hearty, meat-and-potatoes rock offerings, a couple of experiments are revelatory.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 26 May 2023
And to Hall’s point, teams on the road seem to play a more meat-and-potatoes game.
—Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023
Netflix courts various audience niches, but this more closely approximates the meat-and-potatoes fare that has found success on more traditional platforms.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023
Noun
The playoffs are the meat and potatoes, with dessert thrown in.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2023
Rachael Ray’s ending her longtime talk show after more than a decade, but food content will still be her meat and potatoes.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2023
Nothing fancy, mostly meat and potatoes.
—Marc Myers, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2020
Chef Avgeria Stapaki takes the homey layered dish of eggplant, stewed ground meat and potatoes, and transforms it into a visually stunning showstopper.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
First, the meat and potatoes.
—Evan Romano, Men's Health, 2 Mar. 2022
In the 1970s, a new wave of American cooking began to emerge from the meat and potatoes of the past.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2023
Dinner Dinner is Roose’s heaviest meal of the day, focusing on meat and potatoes.
—Mallory Arnold, Outside Online, 10 Feb. 2023
But the upper level, the hi-hat and the cymbals doing those 16th-notes — the faster patterns — are the connective tissue for the meat and potatoes of kick snare.
—Vulture, 16 Mar. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meat-and-potatoes.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near meat-and-potatoes
Cite this Entry
“Meat-and-potatoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat-and-potatoes. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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