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
There were a few words or phrases that Live Translation didn't catch or misunderstood, but the gist of most utterances was caught and accurately translated.
—
Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Therein lies the challenge of climate modeling: building a computer model of Earth’s surface and atmosphere that captures the gist of its behavior simply but effectively.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Of course, that’s the gist of any spread system.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
The modern reader easily suspects the gist of this: that Mrs. Norris’s economies are her pleasure rather than her necessity.
—Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the gist
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Therein lies the challenge of climate modeling: building a computer model of Earth’s surface and atmosphere that captures the gist of its behavior simply but effectively.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Of course, that’s the gist of any spread system.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
The modern reader easily suspects the gist of this: that Mrs. Norris’s economies are her pleasure rather than her necessity.
—Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
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 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share