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

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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 When Lovat basically laughs at him for throwing everything away for a woman, Brian drops a sassy line about still having his conscience when all this is through and then rides off with Ellen to warn Dougal what’s coming. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Nicholas’s view Taking on Hegseth is basically a free shot for Democrats. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Spending less cash on technology is basically like adding hours to your day, and the five big discounts below are equivalent to at least an extra Saturday. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Pat took this to heart and basically put Armani on the map in Los Angeles. — Michael Douglas, Deadline, 8 Oct. 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
  • And today the National Weather Service issued dozens of tornado warnings, mostly in Georgia and South Carolina.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Ticket buyers were mostly older males, a demographic that’s been slow to return to theaters since the pandemic.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • For now, Heaton’s mainly focused on something different though.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • While Atlanta’s luxury hotels are mainly sequestered to corporate Midtown and Buckhead, Forth’s arrival in Old Fourth Ward brings an exciting luxurious element to the neighborhood.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • The system is primarily intended to counter small unmanned aircraft.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Their list consists primarily of interventions such as more per-pupil funding, banning cellphones and restricting artificial intelligence in the classroom.
    — Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • Advertisement France has never seen so many violent incidents in a movement made up largely of high school students.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Violent crime concentrates in poor neighborhoods, and largely because of our history, Black Americans are far more likely than white Americans to live in them.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • The five original Nobel Prizes were created under the terms of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel’s will and have been awarded since 1901, with only limited interruptions, chiefly during World War I and World War II.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The costs have been driven up chiefly by efforts to modernize pricing.
    — MICHAEL PHILLIS, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • Some predominantly Muslim neighborhoods on the city's peripheries, with narrow and steep mazelike streets, have high crime rates.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • After seven years of promoting local businesses in San Francisco’s predominantly Latino Mission District, the nonprofit has a brick-and-mortar space that reflects its passion for the neighborhood.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Photos were generally limited to 2,048 pixels on the long edge, while videos could be delivered at resolutions up to 720p.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of generally
Adverb
  • That shift carries potential implications for concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI) research, which has relied principally on federal support, particularly from the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The whole city ends up bearing the brunt of astronomical housing prices that, whatever their other causes, are principally downstream from a housing market that quite simply cannot keep up with demand.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of principally

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Cite this Entry

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

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