basically

/ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/

//ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"basically" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“basically” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,327. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,327
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-basically · basically · English

basically · rank #2,327 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,327
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH authorities

Nearest frequency peer: authorities (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “basically”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “basically” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for basically
PropertyValue
Headwordbasically
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/
Letters9
Frequency rank#2,327
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “basically”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).basicallylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “authorities” (#2,326), “besides” (#2,328), “ah” (#2,325). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “basically” is #2,327. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around basically (IPA /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #2,327 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for basically, with forms such as "absically", "baiscally", and "bascially". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From basic + -ally. The correct English form is basically, spelled B-A-S-I-C-A-L-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
  2. 2
    Essentially; mostly; pretty much.
  3. 3
    Used to refer to the most important or fundamental point that the speaker is making or to indicate a generalization or simplification; sometimes tending towards a meaningless filler word.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how basically appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. They've added some fancy features, but it's basically still a crappy car.
  2. I shouldn't have done it, basically.

Etymology

From basic + -ally.

Synonyms

essentiallyfundamentallychieflymore often than notmostly

This word in other languages

básicamente(Español)foncièrement(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • absically
  • baiscally
  • bascially
  • basiaclly
  • basicallyy
  • basicaly
  • basicalyl
  • basiccally
  • basiclaly
  • bassically
  • bbasically
  • bsaically

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of basically - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

absically2baiscally2bascially2basiaclly2basicallyy1basicaly1basicalyl2basiccally1
Edit distance from "basically"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "basically"?
"basically" is spelled B-A-S-I-C-A-L-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/.
What does "basically" mean?
As an adverb, "basically" means: In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
What are common misspellings of "basically"?
Common misspellings include "absically", "baiscally", "bascially", "basiaclly", "basicallyy". The correct spelling is "basically".
How do you pronounce "basically"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "basically" is /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "basically"?
From basic + -ally. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "basically", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

collected#2,335determine#2,338residents#2,311documents#2,291

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

thousand12 variantsexamples12 variantsinspired12 variantslaunched12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list