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

Boublil and Schonberg have condensed a novel of over 1,000 pages into a three-hour musical, so a brisk pace is needed to give audiences the gist of the story. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026

There are four long chapters with extensive footnotes on the subject in this immense book, but here’s the gist. —Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

While local ordinances get more specific on types of roadways, the gist stays the same. —Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Dec. 2025

For those who somehow haven’t seen the 2006 romantic comedy, the gist is that two women, one from England and the other from Los Angeles, swap homes during the holidays and each find an unexpected romance. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025