basically
/ˈbeɪsɪkli/
adverb
Core
1.adv.in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature
“He is basically dishonest”
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basically and essentially share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. basically means “in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature”. essentially means “in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature”. basically is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbeɪsɪkli/
1.adv.in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature
“He is basically dishonest”
/ɛˈsɛnʃəli/
| basically | essentially | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbeɪsɪkli/ | /ɛˈsɛnʃəli/ |
| Said | BAY-si-klee | eh-SEN-shuh-lee |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| Letters | 9 | 11 |
| Parts of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Senses | 1 | 1 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | fundamentally, essentially | basically, fundamentally |
Full entry for basically · Full entry for essentially · More comparisons
1.adv.in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature
“He is basically dishonest”