as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
even if you're not planning on becoming a scientist, you should have an elemental knowledge of chemistry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elemental
From Sardinia comes this elemental pasta with a true taste of the sea.
—
Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 21 Apr. 2026
The Spa and Fitness center serves as a sleek counterpoint to the coast's rugged allure—a restorative ritual against the elemental drama outside.
—Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
If your soil is too alkaline, use elemental sulfur or another organic soil acidifier to lower the soil pH as needed.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2026
Look for elemental magnesium on the Supplement Facts panel, not total compound weight.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elemental
Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 21 Apr. 2026
The Spa and Fitness center serves as a sleek counterpoint to the coast's rugged allure—a restorative ritual against the elemental drama outside.
—Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
If your soil is too alkaline, use elemental sulfur or another organic soil acidifier to lower the soil pH as needed.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2026
Look for elemental magnesium on the Supplement Facts panel, not total compound weight.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elemental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elemental
Adjective
-
After years of seeing Spirit lure leisure travellers, the major airlines, led by Delta, responded with humble basic-economy fares of their own.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Why economists cared so much The basic facts of the late 1990s and early 2000s are that the United States was running large deficits.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The law also creates a discipline process for preschool and elementary students where there was none before.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
Yet many of its students aren’t demonstrating even an elementary grasp of free speech.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Embracing a visual vocabulary of the lowbrow and the rudimentary is a tried-and-true method of rebelling against a culture that feels vapid or corporatized.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
6 May 2026
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The builders demonstrated a rudimentary understanding of engineering, deliberately placing each bone to exploit its natural geometry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 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
Adjective
-
The fundamental constants that determine the masses, charges, and interaction strengths between particles are universal as well.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
-
And so there's a fundamental lack of opportunity to learn the soft skills that a white collar employee needs.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elemental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elemental. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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