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fundamental

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fundamental different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of fundamental are cardinal, essential, and vital. While all these words mean "so important as to be indispensable," fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.

fundamental principles of algebra

When might cardinal be a better fit than fundamental?

The words cardinal and fundamental can be used in similar contexts, but cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.

a cardinal rule in buying a home

When would essential be a good substitute for fundamental?

Although the words essential and fundamental have much in common, essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.

conflict is essential in drama

When could vital be used to replace fundamental?

The words vital and fundamental are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.

cut off from vital supplies

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fundamental
Noun
Several other Democrats said that the confluence of deadlines, along with union angst, is doing little to change the fundamental dynamics. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025 The fear of being scammed is a primal emotion, as fundamental as the need for love, uniting humans across time and borders. Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025 The reverb is so fundamental on that record, the reverb on Roger’s voice, trying to get the signature of that. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025 The zoo of standard model particles and the four fundamental forces, plus the discoveries of dark matter and dark energy, all came into focus in the late 20th century, with many more details uncovered through the first quarter of the 21st. Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fundamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fundamental
Adjective
  • In March 2025, Chelsea gave PEOPLE an exclusive update on Max's health journey, explaining that their son has had to relearn basic functions and attend physical therapy.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Those wanting to stream the show live can do so with a Peacock premium subscription or stream new episodes the next day with a basic Peacock subscription.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Read More: Why Trump Didn't Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize The Russian President is a man who lives by the axiom: give an inch, take a mile.
    Luke McGee, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
  • In other words, as Cleveland tore through the league last season, the players responded to most of the milestones reached with a collective shrug and worn axioms about nothing mattering until the playoffs.
    Joe Vardon, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • To conserve, after all, is the essence of conservatism.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
  • This is the essence of creator economy.
    Astha Bhardwaj, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The concept is similar to the rare cases of humans who are born with rudimentary tails, a trait that was seen in primate ancestors over 25 million years ago, according to Brian Hall, research professor emeritus in evolutionary cell biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.
    Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • A lot of what is unwieldy about Down Cemetery Road stems from the source novel, which predates the Slough House series and showcases a writer with an exceptional gift for dialogue and characterization but a more nascent sense of rudimentary storytelling.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn.
    Arthur Allen, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Sarr’s advocates counter with one of basketball’s maxims: Young centers, especially lanky ones such as Sarr, usually require more time to develop physically than perimeter players.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The viral post, which received more than 3,000 upvotes on Reddit, is filled with dozens of comments of fellow travelers chiming in with their own tips and tricks using personal experiences solving delay problems.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025
  • DeSantis has urged lawmakers in Tallahassee to come up with a plan to ease the burden on Florida homeowners, but has expressed frustration with their approach to the problem.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • At Nashoba Public School, in a rural part of southeast Oklahoma where there’s little else but timber and twisting roads, the roughly 50 kids who make up the elementary and middle grades are taught in split-grade classrooms.
    Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2025
  • After more or less abandoning philosophy at the end of the First World War, Ludwig trained to be an elementary-school teacher, spent time as a gardener’s assistant in a monastery, and then taught in small towns in rural Austria.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The number of foreign residents has risen sharply in recent years, reaching a record 3 percent of the population in 2024, as Tokyo cautiously loosened visa rules for workers in key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and caregiving.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • However, Laporta has now become closer to La Liga president Tebas, as Barca have looked for more flexibility in meeting the competition’s strict financial sustainability rules.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fundamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fundamental. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

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