Phrase guide

back to basics

adv · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adv

Meaning 1

back to fundamental principles

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • You can't teach them calculus when they can't add up; let's get back to basics.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A conscious return to principles such as self-respect, decency and honesty; especially the discredited policy of the Conservative government in the 1990s.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, uncountable

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From back + to + basics.