basically

adverb

ba·​si·​cal·​ly ˈbā-si-k(ə-)lē 

 also  -zi-

1

a

: at a basic level : in fundamental disposition or nature

basically correct

basically, they are simple people

b

: for the most part

they basically play zone defense

2

: in a basic manner : simply

live basically

Synonyms

• altogether
• by and large
• chiefly
• generally
• largely
• mainly
• mostly
• overall
• predominantly
• primarily
• principally
• substantially

Examples of basically in a Sentence

your answer is basically correct

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s basically 50 dining dollars in your wallet every six months. —Chris Dong, Saveur, 8 May 2025

All are great shows, but famous people talking to their famous friends who are typically promoting their latest project feels like the simplest path to podcast success and are basically long-form late-night talk shows. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025

So this is something that's basically chasing our tails. —Dana Taylor, USA Today, 8 May 2025

An elite First Order astromech droid — basically what would happen if BB-8 had a goth phase and started exclusively listening to My Chemical Romance. —EW.com, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1a