based
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.living or working in a specific place.
adj.having a primary residence, headquarters, or center of operations in a specified location.
Simple“The company is based in Tokyo but has offices all over the world.”
In context“Although the research team is based in London, they conduct the majority of their fieldwork in remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa.”
UsageUsually follows the noun it describes and is preceded by a location.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.using something as the main idea or starting point for something else.
adj.founded upon or developed from a specific source, principle, or set of data.
Simple“The movie is based on a true story that happened in the 1990s.”
In context“The professor's argument was based on a series of flawed assumptions regarding the economic stability of the region during the late nineteenth century.”
UsageCommonly used in the pattern 'based on'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.being yourself and not caring what other people think, even if your ideas are unpopular.
adj.denoting a person who remains true to their own values and personality without regard for social pressure or external criticism.
Simple“I don't agree with his politics, but he is based for saying what he actually thinks.”
In context“The commentator's refusal to retract his statement was described as based by his followers, who valued his perceived authenticity over social approval.”
Teacher's tipThis sense originated in hip-hop culture but became a major internet meme; it is often used to praise controversial opinions.
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
interj.a word used to show you agree with or admire a bold statement.
interj.used as a standalone exclamation to signal emphatic agreement with a statement, particularly one that challenges mainstream conventions.
Simple“A: 'I think people should spend less time on their phones.' B: 'Based.'”
In context“When the CEO admitted the company's failure was entirely his fault, the forum thread was immediately flooded with single-word replies of 'Based'.”
UsageOften used as a one-word reply in online comments.
Usage based on the idea · based upon · based on an analysis