as in rudimentary
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
you'll need a basic knowledge of computers to get any sort of office work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in essential
Related Words
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 basic
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Or maybe it just got too absorbed in the whole 'cool, multifunctional space' mentality and overlooked basic usability.
—C.c. Weiss
may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
This soft, 100 percent cotton option from Madewell is an essential basic that looks good with everything.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basic
Adjective
One of them, Hossein Hosseini, received basic firearms training from a masked member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Or maybe it just got too absorbed in the whole 'cool, multifunctional space' mentality and overlooked basic usability.
—C.c. Weiss
may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
Noun
Plaza’s oversized top is the ideal spring-to-summer basic, so we were thrilled to find a Quince lookalike.
—Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
This soft, 100 percent cotton option from Madewell is an essential basic that looks good with everything.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for basic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for basic
Adjective
-
In West Texas, some locals were hopeful that the exigencies of life in a rural area, where recordkeeping can be rudimentary and property boundaries aren’t always clear, might stymie the project, at least for a little while.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Their earliest and biggest target has been Dax, a 32-year-old janitor-turned-rapper from Canada who spits overwrought motivational lyrics over rudimentary beats.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Every wardrobe needs a sleek shoulder bag that’s spacious enough to hold the essentials.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
-
Aligned with Bernstein’s minimalistic, elevated essentials aesthetic, the items follow a monochromatic color scheme with funky accents.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Learn about the hobby and this Chicago Park District program’s STEM offerings for elementary students.—
Jennifer Day,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Last month, an Orange County school district became the first to implement a ban on e-bikes for elementary and middle schoolers.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
In areas with stiff regulatory requirements, human oversight is a must.—
Paul Goydan,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
An absolute must for referees at corners is to have a line of sight to the goalkeeper.—
Graham Scott,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Your payment method will automatically be charged in advance the introductory rate every 4 weeks for 1 year, and after 1 year the standard rate every 4 weeks.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
In his introductory news conference Wednesday at the Advocate Center, Graham joked that starting out as a top executive is akin to becoming a first-time parent.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Those could be explicit requirements for a map to appear to be fair by certain statistical measures of partisanship.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), there is no residency requirement to file a lawsuit challenging a project’s environmental review.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated Wednesday that Moscow’s fundamental terms are unchanged, with Putin insisting that Ukraine pull its troops from the four regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but hasn’t fully captured.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
More than a year later, Fúnez was arrested with two others, businessman Héctor Eduardo Méndez and Juan Ángel Ramos Gallegos, whom prosecutors accused of criminal association to the detriment of other fundamental rights.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Basic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basic. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
