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
Staying uncomfortable and tossing satisfaction aside was the gist of the message.
—
Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
After pitching the script to Brooks for 40 minutes, Gad said that the filmmaker got the gist.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 June 2025
The trio is the gist of the exterior price-hiking culprits, but there’s other stuff; a performance steering wheel, red contrast stitching and additional red accents.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 2 June 2025
This appears to be the gist of news reports last week.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 26 May 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.
Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
After pitching the script to Brooks for 40 minutes, Gad said that the filmmaker got the gist.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 June 2025
The trio is the gist of the exterior price-hiking culprits, but there’s other stuff; a performance steering wheel, red contrast stitching and additional red accents.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 2 June 2025
This appears to be the gist of news reports last week.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 26 May 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 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share