as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
a meat-and-potatoes knowledge of figure skating is all that a spectator really needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
an article that never gets into the meat and potatoes of a solution to the city's rising crime rate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of meat-and-potatoes
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 June 2025
Before long, former Top Chef champ Cécile is back slinging meat-and-potatoes at her parents’ roadside truck stop and rekindling old flames with her country-boy ex, Raphaël (Bastien Bouillon).
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 May 2025
The only cooking required is the hands-off step of simmering the farro, and the combination of flavors and textures will likely win over even the most meat-and-potatoes of diners.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
Scot McCloughan is a meat-and-potatoes kind of scout.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The first is a new coach in Craig Berube, who has his team playing a meat-and-potatoes style that will supposedly fit well in a playoff setting.
—Nick Ashbourne, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Still, neither brings the kind of meat-and-potatoes hockey that Tanev does.
—Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Miller fits the meat-and-potatoes vibe that the Rangers seem to be going for, and has shown a superstar ceiling in the past.
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
Voss, meanwhile, was finding that some of the foreign markets for action movies were collapsing, shrinking the budgets of his meat-and-potatoes genre fare.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
But there’s a case to be made that Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s family drama Purpose, which has picked up steam after a Pulitzer win, is more meat-and-potatoes Tony fare.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 June 2025
Before long, former Top Chef champ Cécile is back slinging meat-and-potatoes at her parents’ roadside truck stop and rekindling old flames with her country-boy ex, Raphaël (Bastien Bouillon).
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 May 2025
The only cooking required is the hands-off step of simmering the farro, and the combination of flavors and textures will likely win over even the most meat-and-potatoes of diners.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
Scot McCloughan is a meat-and-potatoes kind of scout.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The first is a new coach in Craig Berube, who has his team playing a meat-and-potatoes style that will supposedly fit well in a playoff setting.
—Nick Ashbourne, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Still, neither brings the kind of meat-and-potatoes hockey that Tanev does.
—Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Miller fits the meat-and-potatoes vibe that the Rangers seem to be going for, and has shown a superstar ceiling in the past.
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
Voss, meanwhile, was finding that some of the foreign markets for action movies were collapsing, shrinking the budgets of his meat-and-potatoes genre fare.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meat-and-potatoes
Adjective
-
The drones and their release systems had to be tested in these demanding conditions to validate their ability to carry out the basic components of the mission.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
The basic premise was that given the seriousness of the issues at hand, the heads of State themselves needed to work out a coordinated strategy.—
Robert Hormats,
Time,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
The bill will prohibit cell-phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools.—
News Service Of Florida,
Sun Sentinel,
30 May 2025
-
Thirty-two busloads of elementary students from Title 1 schools throughout San Diego County eagerly hopped off buses during the week of May 12-16 to enjoy an enriching, exciting, and totally fun Plant*Grow*Eat morning at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Infield Farm.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
The week of June 23, the full introductory collection will be available on both Nrgy’s and Revo’s websites, then roll out to select brick-and-mortar retailers.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
-
After his introductory remarks, Valenzuela welcomed record producer, DJ, filmmaker, and rapper Steven Ellison, who creates under the name Flying Lotus.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Although contemporary smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant can manage rudimentary household commands—like turning on lights or checking the weather—agentic AI signifies a profound shift.—
Sandeep Shivam,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
These pioneers used rudimentary plows, but when steel plows became available farmers were able to plant and harvest much more food per acre to feed a growing population.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
Court told Deadline that the kids content business has undergone a fundamental shift.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
10 June 2025
-
The real question is whether their presence changes the fundamental nature of what these events represent.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Meat-and-potatoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meat-and-potatoes. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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