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

While boiling down a Fielder documentary project to its simplest premise risks missing the point entirely, the gist is that Fielder interviewed Holmes in the weeks leading up to the start of her prison sentence in May 2023. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Just what Lee was thinking was drowned out by a TV mounted in the corner, blaring the news of the day, but the gist was clear. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

That was the gist of my story (here) summing up the day, with quotes from Preller and others. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026

That’s basically the gist of what actress Maria Sten and Neagley showrunners Nick Wootton and Nick Santora tell Entertainment Weekly while reflecting on the spinoff series centered on Sten’s fan-favorite character from the Reacher franchise. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026