basically

adverb

ˈbā-si-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce basically (audio)
Definition of basicallynext
as in mostly
for the most part your answer is basically correct

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 basically And the global distribution of music has connected people and the unlimited shelf space, which basically allowed catalogs to gain much more prominence, including with younger audiences. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026 The movie was originally edited by an Academy Award winner, and so coming in and basically re-editing his vision took some courage. — ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 Surveys about how Americans experience their time basically show that there isn’t enough of it. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026 Shares of Goldman were basically flat in afternoon trading, essentially mirroring the broader financials sector in the S & P. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for basically
Recent Examples of Synonyms for basically
  1. mostly
  2. mainly
  3. primarily
  4. largely
  5. chiefly
  6. predominantly
  7. generally
  8. principally
Adverb
  • As a result, each filament is mostly limited to one type of movement.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Onboard are mostly adult couples looking for an upscale, yet relaxed experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • The market is still concentrated right now, with US consumers mainly seeing sun-protective clothing in trendy athleisure – think Lululemon, REI and Nike.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Garlic Garlic is a superfood that’s been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, mainly due to its natural immune-supporting properties.
    — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • The Army's most significant response has been the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, a pre-basic training program primarily at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, for recruits who narrowly miss academic or body-fat standards.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Hancock, who flashed high-level plays last year as a safety, has primarily played as a nickel corner in Leonhard’s new scheme.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • While the good-paying white-collar jobs in the ‘burbs are getting slashed, the substantial workforce Capital One inherited from Discover in the city of Chicago largely has been spared.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In League Two, tweaks to SCMP were largely thrown out because they were seen as worthless.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • One unusual thing about the Dead is that the bulk of their oeuvre was penned by non-performing songwriters, chiefly Robert Hunter, who collaborated mainly with Jerry Garcia.
    — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Denise has also been keeping secrets, chiefly about the manuscript for a novel she’s been banging out on a typewriter in the basement, one that happens to be about a woman who fantasizes about leaving her family behind for life in New York.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • Roughly two-thirds of those workers are migrants, predominantly young women recruited from South Asia on three-year contracts.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But tensions have opened up between data center boosters and some community organizations that want to see more jobs and economic benefits go to local residents, especially predominantly poor Hispanic farm and food processing workers.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • Small explosions happen within the park every few years and generally present localized dangers.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • And yet while some clubs of a similar size were happy to keep selling players to re-invest, Tottenham generally only did so with first-team players in very specific circumstances.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of generally
Adverb
  • Trade along the route remains tiny compared with major throughways like the Suez Canal and is dominated by Russian oil and gas, which – along with a few other LNG buyers in Asia – principally flow to China.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Some Hoodoo practitioners have begun calling themselves witches, reflecting the increasingly positive reassessment of that term, which historically referred principally to practitioners of occult harming practices.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of principally

Browse Nearby Words

basic
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basics
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Cite this Entry

“Basically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basically. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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