# based

/ˈbeɪst/ (US) · /bˈeɪst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/based
Updated: 2026-06-15

## Senses

### 1. located in a place

adjective · CEFR A2

living or working in a specific place.

For teachers: having a primary residence, headquarters, or center of operations in a specified location.

- The company is based in Tokyo but has offices all over the world.
- Although the research team is based in London, they conduct the majority of their fieldwork in remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

Usage: Usually follows the noun it describes and is preceded by a location.

### 2. using as a foundation

adjective · CEFR B1

using something as the main idea or starting point for something else.

For teachers: founded upon or developed from a specific source, principle, or set of data.

- The movie is based on a true story that happened in the 1990s.
- The professor's argument was based on a series of flawed assumptions regarding the economic stability of the region during the late nineteenth century.

Usage: Commonly used in the pattern 'based on'.

### 3. authentic and unapologetic

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal · Humorous

being yourself and not caring what other people think, even if your ideas are unpopular.

For teachers: denoting a person who remains true to their own values and personality without regard for social pressure or external criticism.

- I don't agree with his politics, but he is based for saying what he actually thinks.
- The commentator's refusal to retract his statement was described as based by his followers, who valued his perceived authenticity over social approval.

Teaching tip: This sense originated in hip-hop culture but became a major internet meme; it is often used to praise controversial opinions.

### 4. expression of approval

interjection · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a word used to show you agree with or admire a bold statement.

For teachers: used as a standalone exclamation to signal emphatic agreement with a statement, particularly one that challenges mainstream conventions.

- A: 'I think people should spend less time on their phones.' B: 'Based.'
- When the CEO admitted the company's failure was entirely his fault, the forum thread was immediately flooded with single-word replies of 'Based'.

Usage: Often used as a one-word reply in online comments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.