basal

adjective

ˈbā-səl How to pronounce basal (audio)
Definition of basalnext
as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject many students lacked even a basal familiarity with the topic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of basal Plants produce a basal rosette of downy foliage in their first year and flower in the second season, after which the plants typically die out. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 May 2026 The resulting fresh basal foliage should be left through winter. — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 2026 Throughout the day, adenosine gradually accumulates as a byproduct of brain activity, increasing feelings of sleepiness by inhibiting wake-promoting regions such as the basal forebrain. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026 None are toxic, but check for hollow single stems, milky sap and a basal rosette before any of it hits your cutting board. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for basal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for basal
  1. basic
  2. elementary
  3. rudimentary
  4. introductory
  5. underlying
  6. fundamental
Adjective
  • The away end is the only section to pre-date Charlton’s seven-year absence and facilities in there are basic.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The research, published in Chem Circularity, explores a system based on calcium looping, a process that uses the same basic material—limestone—that is already central to cement manufacturing.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of basic
Adjective
  • According to the district, only 83% of elementary seats and 79% of middle school seats were filled during the 2024 to 2025 school year.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The district is also preparing to develop a new elementary-school literacy curriculum this school year, with the help of new state funding.
    — Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of elementary
Adjective
  • And packing no GoTo computer requires at least a rudimentary knowledge of the night sky and a star atlas or planetarium software.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The narrator, purged of identifiers except for her yearning, her rational faculties, and her sense of unbelonging, is counterintuitively relatable—a portrait of rudimentary, universal humanity.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of rudimentary
Adjective
  • Berg was asked Tuesday in his introductory press conference about how his private equity experience might inform his role.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Some operations begin by offering a low-cost webinar or introductory course.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of introductory
Adjective
  • The electrical response could therefore be switched without substantially changing the material’s underlying magnetic interactions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Saft was equally unsparing about the underlying assessment math, which values co-ops and condominiums differently than houses.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of underlying
Adjective
  • Huang said computing is undergoing its first fundamental technology-platform transition in roughly 60 years, shifting from a traditional model to one centered on artificial intelligence.
    — , CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Instilling those same principles in their replacements are fundamental in the new era.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of fundamental

Browse Nearby Words

barters (for)
basal
base
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Cite this Entry

“Basal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/basal. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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