1
a
: of, relating to, or forming the base or essence : fundamental
basic truths
b
: concerned with fundamental scientific principles : not applied
basic research
2
: constituting or serving as the basis or starting point
a basic set of tools
3
a
: of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a chemical base
b
: having an alkaline reaction
4
: containing relatively little silica
basic rocks
5
: relating to, made by, used in, or being a process of making steel done in a furnace lined with basic material and under basic slag
1
: something that is basic : fundamental
get back to basics
2
computers
: a simplified high-level language for programming a computer
The program was written in BASIC.
Synonyms
Examples of basic in a Sentence
Adjective
In this class, you will learn the basic principles of chemistry.
At its most basic level, the book is about a father's relationship with his children.
The basic difference between the two companies is their size.
rights that are basic to all human beings
basic reading, writing, and mathematics
She lacks even the most basic skills necessary for the job.
That's just the basic salary without overtime or tips.
The motel is comfortable but pretty basic: you get the necessities all right, but no luxuries.
Noun (1)
He's teaching me the basics of Japanese cooking.
He starts basic in two months.
Noun (2)
The program is written in BASIC.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Cassy Leach, a nurse, leads a volunteer group providing food, medical care and other basic goods to the town’s hundreds of homeless people.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers were outraged that Microsoft was charging the government extra for such a basic feature, and Biden administration officials spent the next two and a half years privately urging Microsoft to make log data free for all customers.
—Eric Geller, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
One year after Nala’s launch, Nike came on board to assist with funding the girls’ basic needs and in-residence scholarships to remove financial barriers along their training and education journey.
—Brande Victorian, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
Today they're known for selling name-brand closeouts and fresh produce, basic grocery items, everyday household items, and seasonal and party merchandise for just 99 cents.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
Among the detractors were some of Johnson's harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.
—CBS News, 12 Apr. 2024
The vocal detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.
—Farnoush Amiri and Eric Tucker, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Various navigation tabs appear at the top of this section, while basic playback and volume controls are at the bottom.
—PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Offerings vary from clinics that teach the basics of line selection and recovery, to fundamentals of vehicle prep, dune running, and four-wheel-drive mechanics.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
No Wonder The Ukrainians Have Been Hunting The Ship For A Year
For AI to be effectively adopted, your team must understand its basics and potential applications.
—Rohit Anabheri, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s why some talks focus on the basics, some dive deeper into more intense challenges, and some provide an all-rounded rundown of Dr. Ball’s expertise.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024
But despite going back to the basics, modernization was firmly on the mind of the creative team, led by director Mounir Radi and producer Abdelhak Elguess.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
There are also a number of basics on sale, including white socks for $13 and a Puma sports bra for $23.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
From brands like Coach and Levi’s to Reebok and Chaco, this is the best place to start for investing in spring basics.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2024
Adjective
But there are basic canned and dried goods, snacks and frozen foods.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Cassy Leach, a nurse, leads a volunteer group providing food, medical care and other basic goods to the town’s hundreds of homeless people.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers were outraged that Microsoft was charging the government extra for such a basic feature, and Biden administration officials spent the next two and a half years privately urging Microsoft to make log data free for all customers.
—Eric Geller, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
One year after Nala’s launch, Nike came on board to assist with funding the girls’ basic needs and in-residence scholarships to remove financial barriers along their training and education journey.
—Brande Victorian, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
Today they're known for selling name-brand closeouts and fresh produce, basic grocery items, everyday household items, and seasonal and party merchandise for just 99 cents.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
Among the detractors were some of Johnson's harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.
—CBS News, 12 Apr. 2024
The vocal detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.
—Farnoush Amiri and Eric Tucker, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Various navigation tabs appear at the top of this section, while basic playback and volume controls are at the bottom.
—PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Noun
The brand’s calling card is basics with a twist: silver rings with chain-like forms, chains that look like nothing else on the market, forms studded with semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Offerings vary from clinics that teach the basics of line selection and recovery, to fundamentals of vehicle prep, dune running, and four-wheel-drive mechanics.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
No Wonder The Ukrainians Have Been Hunting The Ship For A Year
For AI to be effectively adopted, your team must understand its basics and potential applications.
—Rohit Anabheri, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s why some talks focus on the basics, some dive deeper into more intense challenges, and some provide an all-rounded rundown of Dr. Ball’s expertise.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024
But despite going back to the basics, modernization was firmly on the mind of the creative team, led by director Mounir Radi and producer Abdelhak Elguess.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
There are also a number of basics on sale, including white socks for $13 and a Puma sports bra for $23.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
From brands like Coach and Levi’s to Reebok and Chaco, this is the best place to start for investing in spring basics.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing basic
Dictionary Entries Near basic
Cite this Entry
“Basic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basic. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
basic
1 of 3 adjective
ba·sic
ˈbā-sik 
-zik
1
: of, relating to, or forming the base or basis : fundamental
basic research
2
: of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a chemical base
basically
adverb
-si-k(ə-)lē
-zi-
basic
2 of 3 noun
: something basic : fundamental
BASIC
3 of 3 noun
BA·SIC
ˈbā-sik
-zik
: a simplified language for programming and interacting with a computer
Etymology
Noun
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
Medical Definition
basic
adjective
ba·sic
ˈbā-sik also -zik
1
: of, relating to, or forming the base or essence
2
a
: of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a base
b
: having an alkaline reaction
More from Merriam-Webster on basic
Nglish: Translation of basic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of basic for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share