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 Miami has been playing without three of its top cornerbacks basically all season, with starters Lucas and OJ Frederique out since the Stanford game and sophomore reserve Ja’Boree Antoine out since before the season began. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 According to Abramson, the pulses are basically imperceptible, comparable to what a pacemaker sends to the heart. — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026 Chicories, unlike basically all other leafy vegetables, have historically been a winter crop, harvested in the cold months around Christmas. — Tamar Adler, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026 The doctors basically said there’s nothing that’s going to be able to help you. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 29 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
  • There are currently 27 judicial vacancies at the district level and 10 nominees to fill those, mostly in Republican states.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • At Malate Church, parishioners marked the feast Sunday by bringing their beloved pets for a special blessing — mostly dogs but also cats and even a pet snail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 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
  • Asfaw primarily develops cost-friendly skin care products that target young consumer needs.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike conventional chatbots that primarily respond to prompts, autonomous agents can navigate websites, use tools, and carry out sequences of actions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • Fan largely disappeared from Chinese screens after a 2018 tax evasion case.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The outstanding artwork of the exhibition, Goldin’s slideshow, largely devoted to candid portraits of friends, many shot in her Bowery loft, remains stunningly raw.
    — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 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
  • Santa Maria, a predominantly Latino city on California’s Central Coast, is about 30 minutes south of San Luis Obispo.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Expulsion is currently banned within Head Start, which serves nearly 700,000 predominantly low-income kids.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • Auditors reported there was no explicit language in the Controller Office’s telework policy that required employees generally conduct telework from California.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The ⁠Paris police said the clashes there had come about when some 300 people attempted to face off against security forces, adding that the protest was generally unfolding well elsewhere.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of generally
Adverb
  • 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
  • Treasury officials said the network operates principally from Mexico and Venezuela and has become an important source of revenue for Tren de Aragua, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization last year.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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