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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 This year just happens to be when basically years’ worth of work from the last two, three years is all finally culminating and coming out now. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026 And basically the letter proposes two ways of determining the pace. — Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026 And in The Uprising, basically every land-owning English person is an enemy of the peasants, who are overtaxed by King Richard II (Woody Norman) after the plague kills half of the country’s population. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026 There are not insignificant number of Republicans who are basically saying that industry needs to be leading the way on this. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 17 Sep. 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
  • The rest of the women have pretty much accepted Vicki’s temperament by now and mostly operate around her, enjoying the refreshing Miami energy after the bumpiness of the previous parties.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The film’s cast is mostly made up of tribal non-actors, but Anghlong Konyak is its captivating center, as a man whose stubbornness against change sits alongside a lingering grief over his fading way of life.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • His reliance on the cane has slowed him down, so Crouch has shifted roles, from field hand to recruiter, operating mainly as the guy behind the keyboard, lining up volunteers to plant, scout, harvest and build the next nursery.
    — Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Potting soils have not contained soil from the ground for years, and have been mainly combinations of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • The culprits are Aedes aegypti, primarily daytime biters that thrive in urban and suburban areas and breed in flowerpots, buckets and other smaller containers, said Steve Harrison, manager of Orange County Mosquito Control.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Zeek Biggers has worked as a six-technique defensive end, primarily playing on obvious running downs.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • She’s haunted by her divorce from Donn, and her greatest fear is being alone, which is becoming more and more of a real possibility, especially since her family has largely moved away.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Kai-Fu Lee’s AI Superpowers, an influential book published in 2018, largely predicted the current tech battle between the US and China.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • Dostoyevsky’s sniveling devil comes closest to portraying the man chiefly responsible for organizing the Final Solution.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Many of these business owners are driven chiefly by a desire to be their own bosses rather than to become rich, Zwick said.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • In 2020, researchers described nearly 1,000 independent horizontal transfer events in 307 vertebrate genomes, predominantly in fish.
    — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Cousins then directed a three-play, 43-second drive that ended with White’s second TD catch and a 24-14 lead in front of a raucous, predominantly Raiders-supporting crowd at SoFi Stadium.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • Many tech leaders generally say their goal is to develop the technology in ways that promote safety, address legal liability, feed economic growth, advance science and preserve national security.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Potential Risks of Drinking Green Tea Green tea is generally considered safe and healthy when consumed in normal amounts, such as a few cups a day.
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of generally
Adverb
  • Federal regulators already treat it differently from many other digital assets, and the legislation was principally intended to create a broader framework governing how cryptocurrencies are issued, sold and regulated.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Asking an 18- or 21-year-old athlete to sacrifice some portion of a present opportunity for an uncertain benefit that may principally accrue to someone else five or 10 years in the future is an inherently difficult organizing proposition.
    — Chris Corr, Sportico.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of principally

Browse Nearby Words

basic
basically
basics
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Cite this Entry

“Basically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basically. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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