as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
students who do not have even an elementary knowledge of geography
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Recent Examples of elementary
Other successful projects include the use of educational radio for secondary education in Mexico and Brazil, elementary mathematics education in Nicaragua, a teacher program in Kenya, and adult equivalency education in the Dominican Republic.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
And scattering experiments showed that, at an elementary level, reality was described by individual quanta, possessing specific properties common to all members of their species.
—Big Think, 23 Apr. 2026
The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is another strong choice, with rotating exhibits on music, sci-fi and pop culture — topics that tend to land well with older elementary and middle school kids.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
Most elementary grades’ reading levels stayed the same from the prior year, with approximately 65% to 69% of students reading proficiently.
—Shawn Datchuk, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elementary
Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
And scattering experiments showed that, at an elementary level, reality was described by individual quanta, possessing specific properties common to all members of their species.
—Big Think, 23 Apr. 2026
The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is another strong choice, with rotating exhibits on music, sci-fi and pop culture — topics that tend to land well with older elementary and middle school kids.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
Most elementary grades’ reading levels stayed the same from the prior year, with approximately 65% to 69% of students reading proficiently.
—Shawn Datchuk, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elementary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elementary
Adjective
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Then again, the novel, a worldly form and rather proud of it, has good reason not to question the basic terms of our existence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Instead of bigger SUVs or higher trims — versions of a model with more features and elevated prices — many shoppers are sticking with simpler options like compact sedans, entry-level pickups or the most basic version on the dealer's lot.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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Rotifers, though microscopic, possess specialized systems such as digestive tracts and rudimentary nervous structures, making their long-term survival in a frozen state particularly notable.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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His pieces include solid wood chairs with a deliberately rudimentary, almost minimal design, integrating ornamental elements such as marquetry panels or tin bas-reliefs into their backs, legs or seats.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That archive of prints is in the process of being broken up for sale, and a few hundred of those boxes, including this set of 36 prints plus a clutch of introductory material and captions, have made their way to Daniel/Oliver, a gallery in East Williamsburg.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2026
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At Fudd’s introductory press conference with the Wings on April 16, she was asked to comment on her off-court connection with Bueckers by a local reporter.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the king said despite the fundamental disagreement between the countries, the United States inherited its democratic values from the United Kingdom.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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There are fundamental limits, such as the Planck scale (sometimes called the pixel size of the universe), beyond which the very idea of distance loses meaning.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elementary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elementary. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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