base 1 of 3

verb

Definition of basenext
as in to ground
to find a basis she based her argument on careful research

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base

2 of 3

noun

ˈbās How to pronounce base (audio)
1
as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests the firm belief that complete trust between partners is the base of any successful marriage

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2
as in camp
a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made the army's base of attack was kept top secret until the battle began

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3
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest the base of the industry is California's Silicon Valley

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4
as in bottom
the lowest part, place, or point the base of the mountain extends over a huge area make sure the base of the stove rests evenly on the floor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in headquarters
the place from which a commander runs operations the army base is three miles down the road

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base

3 of 3

adjective

1
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency a base and sneaky act that is a clear violation of international law

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humble
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness their base obedience to every unprincipled action ordered by their leader

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective base contrast with its synonyms?

The words low and vile are common synonyms of base. While all three words mean "deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values," base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness.

base motives

When is low a more appropriate choice than base?

The meanings of low and base largely overlap; however, low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety.

refused to listen to such low talk

Where would vile be a reasonable alternative to base?

In some situations, the words vile and base are roughly equivalent. However, vile, the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth.

a vile remark

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 base
Verb
Unlike most cities, including Los Angeles, El Segundo has no gross receipts tax on businesses and relies instead on annual fees based on business size. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Other businesses are required to pay overtime based on hours worked. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
Investors have been rewarded with the same story all year — the only question left is how long triple-digit growth off an increasingly large base can continue. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026 That base was scheduled to hit an important cleanup milestone this month. — Austin Fast, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Yamaha The base variant starts at INR 230,000, which works out to US$2,407. — Yamaha, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 The oxide layer becomes a physical barrier, which prevents the corrosive molten lead from touching the base structural steel. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for base
Recent Examples of Synonyms for base
  1. ground
  2. basis
  3. camp
  4. center
  5. bottom
  6. vile
  7. humble
  8. predicate
Verb
  • For a studio that built its modern reputation on superb player traversal, grounding Wolverine in static, empty zones feels like a massive step backward.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But, again, grounding yourself — my faith, my family, my kids, and the things that really matter in life can bring you back.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • The charging instrument, known as an information, omits references to the specific acts that the state alleges are the basis for the disruption offense, the attorney, Tiffany Burks, wrote in the motion that was filed on Wednesday.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Perrin recently curated a traveling Renoir exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay, the institution that also lent on a long-term basis all four of the paintings that were stolen from the Renoir Museum in southern France.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of basis
Noun
  • Schwesinger sat out almost all of training camp before returning to practice in late August.
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Garrett was sidelined during much of training camp and the preseason because of a knee problem.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of camp
Noun
  • The latest forecast predicts the center will pass roughly 115 to 150 miles west of Kauai, close enough that any additional eastward shifts in the track could bring stronger winds and greater impacts, particularly to Kauai, the hurricane center said.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The center makes the protection calls, and often, zone runs cut vertically toward the center.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • Not enough potential to win a Super Bowl, but enough gaps for the bottom to fall out if things go wrong.
    — Adam Coleman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The other is beneath the large green leaves at the bottom of the plant, which, when lifted, show the bromeliad is dying off, Huffman said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bottom
Adjective
  • Disgusted that any adult would ever consider exploiting a child in such a vile and predatory way.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • His tenure came to an end when video surfaced of a drunken Galliano berating other customers at a Paris bar with vile antisemitic insults.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of vile
Adjective
  • While the wider world has in recent decades fallen for the archipelago’s humble street food, there’s a rising number of contemporary chefs who are elevating the national cuisine on the global stage.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In those interviews, the brothers are charmingly self-effacing and humble, a far cry from the braggadocious, aggressive posturing that defined their early celebrity.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of humble
Verb
  • The Seahawks ranked eighth in explosive play rate last season, with Kubiak installing a Shanahan offense predicated on getting big bodies on the field, baiting the defense to match with base and taking shots downfield.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Our scenario was predicated on the US continuing to turn inwards and failing to cooperate effectively with its network of allies in Europe and Asia.
    — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of predicate

Phrases Containing base

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basal
base
baseball cap
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Cite this Entry

“Base.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/base. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on base

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about base

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